Appetizers, Middle Eastern

Baba Ghanoush

Posted by iavogoodmeal on

Sneha: If cauliflower is both of our favoritest vegetable of all time (see cauliflower falafel, Szechuan cauliflower, or my general obsession with Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi) then eggplant is probably my second most favorite vegetable. Unfortunately, the same doesn’t hold true for Karthik, who takes pause at the sometimes strange texture of eggplant, so we typically don’t cook a ton of eggplant at home. The exception is our breaded baked eggplant which he LOVES in sandwiches. 

After my resounding success with recreating the classic hummus recipe from Zahav, I knew I had to try my hand at Baba Ghanoush – smokey eggplant, tahini and garlic. I mean c’mon! So a few weeks ago, on a Friday night, we decided to do a mezze platter for dinner and I already had homemade red pepper hummus ready to go. Enter Baba Ghanoush, a quick grill on the BBQ and no soaking / cooking required like chickpeas, this dip comes together incredibly easily and is the PERFECT addition to hummus, pita, veggies, crackers, cheese for the ultimate board! 

Mezze platter with naan, pita, cauliflower tots, homemade hummus, pickles, artichoke, grapes, carrots, homemade pickled jalapeños, gluten-free crackers, various cheeses, homemade spicy raspberry cream cheese dip.

Tips & Tricks

  • To get a faster cook on the eggplant, we cut it in half and placed it face down on the grill – the longer you let it go on the grill, the smokier the dip will be.
  • To make it easier to remove the skin, cover the cooked eggplant with plastic wrap as you allow it to cool.
  • We like a more subtle flavor for garlic, but you can easily double the amount for a stronger taste.

Recipe Information

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: none
  • Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 5 tbsp tahini 
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

  • Grill eggplant, two potential methods:
    • Option #1: Preheat oven to 350F, oil the outside of the eggplant and poke a few holes and roast for 20-30 mins till completely soft, let cool.
    • Option #2: Cut eggplant in half and place directly on grill flesh side down and roast 10-14 min till soft, let cool.
  • In a food processor combine lemon juice, garlic and tahini till smooth.
  • Once cool, peel skin off eggplant and mash lightly.
  • Add eggplant pulp, cumin, paprika and salt and blend till smooth.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste – store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.