Image Courtesy of StockFood| Makes | 2 cups |
| Preparation Time | 15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 30 minutes |
| Oven Temp | 180°C |
| Oven Setting | Fan Forced |
Baba Ghanoush
Baba Ganoush is a very popular Middle Eastern dish made primarily of eggplant and tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. This dish is known as mutabbal in the Levant, and Blagadoush in Ethiopia.Traditionally, the eggplant is first roasted in an oven for approximately 45 minutes. The softened flesh is scooped out, squeezed to remove excess water, and is then pureed with the tahini. There are many variants of the recipe, especially the seasoning. Possible 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.
This is a healthy snack that can be eaten in a variety of ways, including as a dip with whole wheat bread or crackers, spread on pita, or added to other dishes. It is usually of an earthy light brown colour.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplant, (about 500g each)
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup tahini
- Flaked salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven.
- Place the eggplant on a baking tray and rub with 1 teaspoon of the oil.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft when inserted with a skewer.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- Carefully peel the skin off the eggplant, discarding the skin.
- Place the eggplant flesh in the bowl of a large food processor with the garlic, ½ cup oil, tahini and lemon juice.
- Process until well combined and smooth, occasionally scraping down the side of the bowl.
- Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge until using.
- Bring to room temperature before serving.
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Issue 10 - First Principles Cookbook
The second edition of my Basics Cooking Handbook that sold 100,000 copies in its first print run, is now available online from bitesizecooking.com. Find out all about it.
First Principles
The Basics Cooking Handbook