Often during large meals such as the first day of Ramadan, there will be various side dishes and dips to go with the food. Baba Ganoush is a very popular middle eastern dip made primarily from pureed eggplant. It is not very difficult or expensive to make and as a result it often makes an appearance on many dinner tables. Due to the rich and smoky flavour of the eggplant, it is often eaten with pita bread or raw vegetables. Left overs are great used in wraps or sandwiches. If you don't want to use it in a sandwich, it will keep well in the fridge for a few days as long as it is covered. Baba ganoush also goes by baba ghanouj, babaganuş, and mutabal. The recipe below makes 4 servings; Happy Cooking! Click Read more to see the rest!
INGREDIENTS
· 1 medium or 3/4 of a large eggplant
· 1 large clove garlic, grated or finely minced
· 1 lemon, juiced
· 2 Tbsp Tahini
· Pinch of sea salt
· Optional: 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, parsley or basil, chopped
· Olive oil (for roasting)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to high broil (or medium if you have the ability) and position a rack at the top of the oven.
2. Slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and sprinkle with sea salt and place in a colander in the sink to drain any excess liquid. After 10 minutes, rinse slightly and then pat dry between two towels.
3. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 5-10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown. Remove from pan, stack and wrap the rounds in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.
4. Peel away most of the skin of the eggplant (a little is OK) and add flesh to a food processor. It should be soft and tender and the skin should come off easy.
· 1 medium or 3/4 of a large eggplant
· 1 large clove garlic, grated or finely minced
· 1 lemon, juiced
· 2 Tbsp Tahini
· Pinch of sea salt
· Optional: 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, parsley or basil, chopped
· Olive oil (for roasting)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to high broil (or medium if you have the ability) and position a rack at the top of the oven.
2. Slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and sprinkle with sea salt and place in a colander in the sink to drain any excess liquid. After 10 minutes, rinse slightly and then pat dry between two towels.
3. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 5-10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown. Remove from pan, stack and wrap the rounds in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.
4. Peel away most of the skin of the eggplant (a little is OK) and add flesh to a food processor. It should be soft and tender and the skin should come off easy.
5.. Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and mix until creamy. Add herbs last and pulse to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a bit more tahini and another pinch of salt.
6. Serve with pita and/or pita chips and veggies. Will keep covered in the fridge for several days.
VARIATIONS:
Patlican Salatasi (Turkey): Eliminate the tahini. You can also stir 1/4 to 1/2 cup yogurt into the baba ghanoush to lighten it up a bit. Garnish with paprika.
Photos and recipe courtesy of: http://minimalistbaker.com/simple-baba-ganoush/
Nee more help? Watch this video!
6. Serve with pita and/or pita chips and veggies. Will keep covered in the fridge for several days.
VARIATIONS:
Patlican Salatasi (Turkey): Eliminate the tahini. You can also stir 1/4 to 1/2 cup yogurt into the baba ghanoush to lighten it up a bit. Garnish with paprika.
Photos and recipe courtesy of: http://minimalistbaker.com/simple-baba-ganoush/
Nee more help? Watch this video!