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Baba Ganoush

Middle Eastern · 50 min · Easy · 6 servings

Baba Ganoush

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Eggplants burnt black over a flame until the flesh collapses, then beaten with tahini, lemon and garlic. Smoky, loose and nothing like a puree of raw eggplant.

~160 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

gluten-freesoy-freenut-freelow-calorie
Plan it:

Method

  1. 1

    Blacken the eggplants

    ⏱ 40 min

    Heat the oven to 475°F conventional (220°C fan), or use a gas flame or barbecue. Prick the eggplants all over and cook them until the skins are blackened and blistered and they have collapsed completely. They should look ruined. That char IS the flavor.

  2. 2

    Drain the flesh

    ⏱ 20 min

    Let them cool until you can handle them, then split each one open and scoop the flesh into a sieve. Leave it to drain properly: watery flesh makes a watery dip.

  3. 3

    Beat it together

    Chop the drained flesh on a board, then beat it in a bowl with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and a good pinch of salt. Use a fork, not a blender. Baba ganoush should be rough, not smooth.

  4. 4

    Finish

    Taste and adjust with more lemon or salt, spread into a shallow bowl, and pour the olive oil over the surface. Scatter with parsley and the pomegranate seeds if using.

Notes

Over a gas flame is best if you have one; the oven gets you most of the way. Draining the flesh is the step people skip and then wonder why their dip is soupy. Beating by hand keeps the texture. A blender makes it gluey.

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