Baba Ganoush

I recently introduced BabaGanoush to my husband when we went to a Mediterranean restaurant and now the man is HOOKED.  Baba Ganoush is made up mostly of fire-charred eggplants.  Did you know that another word for eggplant is aubergine.  We didn't either - we learned that today.  But here's one of our more favorite recipes.  Can't wait to try it at home.

Thanks Your Middle East




Ingredients:
4 aubergines
6 garlic cloves
2 cups raw tahini - we found a great raw tahini recipe online for you guys to use which is simple
1/3 cup lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Olive oil
 A bunch of parsley or coriander leaves, thinly chopped.

1. Wash and char the aubergines one by one, on the stove’s open, high flames, till thoroughly tender on all sides. Some recipes call for frying or baking the aubergine in the oven, but this is heresy. Broiling the aubergine on an open fire gives it the special, smoky taste that makes the greatness of the Baba Ganoush. If you fear the mess to your stove, line it with aluminium foil. Otherwise, be ready to settle for compromise. And if you really want to get the most of the smokiness, char the aubergines for at least 10 to 15 minutes, and then set aside to cool.

2. After the aubergines have cooled, half them and scoop out the aubergine flesh (preferably with a wooden or a plastic utensil, as metal would blacken the aubergine flesh and alter its flavour). If some of the aubergines’ black skin sticks to the flesh don’t fret – it’s only for the best and your palate will thank you for it, but don’t get carried away and leave too much of it, or your whole dish will taste of burnt aubergine skin. Mash it and let it sit in a colander for a while, to drain the fluids.

3. Mix together in a serving bowl the aubergine flesh with the crashed garlic cloves, the raw Tahini, the lemon juice and the salt. Stir together, taste, and adjust seasoning.

4. Before serving, top with olive oil and the minced herbs.
Since the recipe varies from one region to another, feel free to do the same and experiment, replacing some of the Tahini with yogurt, adding spring onion, or toasted cumin seeds. Another tradition is to add pomegranate seeds or pomegranate molasses on top of the dish, for an added sweet-sour tang.