What is Baba Ganoush you may ask?
In Jordanian, Syrian, Palestinian, and Lebanese cuisine, it is made of eggplant blended with finely diced onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables. The Egyptian version, known in the Levant as mutabbal, is made of roasted, peeled, and mashed eggplant, blended with tahini, garlic salt, and lemon juice. Cumin and chili powder can be added. It is normally served with a dressing of olive oil and pomegranate concentrate. In the traditional method, the eggplant is first roasted in an oven for approximately 30 to 90 minutes (depending on the size of the eggplant) until the skin appears almost burnt and the eggplant begins to collapse. The softened flesh is scooped out, squeezed or salted to remove excess water, and is then pureed with the tahini. There are many variants of the recipe, especially the seasoning. Seasonings include garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt, mint and parsley. When served on a plate or bowl, it is traditional to drizzle the top with olive oil.
Serve with chicken or falafels for a delicious dinner, or with veggies for a nice filling snack!
Source: www.wikipedia.com
- 1 medium eggplant,
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- fresh herbs, for garnish
- toasted pine nuts for garnish
- Preheat oven on broil. Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices and sprinkle with sea salt. Place in a colander in the sink to drain any excess liquid. After about 10 minutes, rinse slightly and then pat dry with paper towels.
- Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 10 minutes, flipping once after 5 minutes. Eggplant should be softened and a nice golden brown. Remove from the pan, stack and wrap the slices in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.
- Remove skin and place the flesh in the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.