In a pan, heat olive oil at medium heat. Sauté chopped onions and minced garlic until golden brown. Add fresh rosemary.

Add minced mushrooms and cook until all the moisture from the mushrooms is evaporated.

Add tomato paste and tomato puree. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat.

Add a pinch of grated nutmeg, ground black pepper, paprika powder, salt and sugar. Mix well and cook down for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Keep it aside.

In a pan, melt vegan butter. Don’t let it get brown or burn.

Add flour and roast it in the vegan butter.

Add plant-based milk little by little and whisk gently so that no lumps are formed.

Keep adding milk and whisking to make a smooth sauce.

Finally, add nutmeg, ground black pepper. Mix, take off the heat and keep aside.

Remove the end of the eggplant. Slice it lengthwise into 1 cm slices.

Peel and slice potatoes into ½ cm slices.

On medium heat, spread olive oil in a grill pan.

Grill the eggplant and potato slices for 2-3 minutes on each side. They just need to be cooked 50 per cent. The rest of the cooking will be done in the oven while baking the assembled moussaka.

While the veggies are grilling, preheat the oven at 390F/200C before starting to assemble the layers.

Lightly grease the baking dish with olive oil.

Start by placing the pre-cooked eggplant slices into the dish followed by potato slices.

Next, top with the mushroom filling.

Finally, pour the vegan béchamel sauce on top and spread it evenly.

Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Garnish with fresh herbs like basil or rosemary.