Do you know anybody who doesn’t love aubergines? This vegetable is pure perfection to me. I worship aubergines and could eat them everyday. Cut lengthwise and baked with olive oil, thyme and za’atar. Nothing else needed. Maybe a few drops of tahini sauce.
Aubergine (especially burnt one) and tahini are one of the fundamental composite. Fit perfect with each other. Just mix burnt aubergine with good tahini and garlic, sprinkle with lemon juice and delicious dish is ready. That’s how baba ghanoush is prepared.
Of course there is so many recipes for baba ghannoug, probably every cook has its own way to prepare it. Honestly, I’ve never eaten baba ghannouj that taste the same. But that’s maybe a beauty of this spread.
For me the most important element of baba ghannouj is burnt aubergine. That’s what give it this characteristic taste. And toppings. Fresh pomegranate and cilantro is a must. But also ground cumin, olive oil, za’atar, fresh parsley and whatever comes to your mind. I love sprinkle it with pomegranate molasses.
As I said, baba ghanoush is all about burnt aubergine (over kitchen stove, grill). Unfortunately this is not always an option. But you can burn aubergines in the oven. Just pick your favourite book, put aubergines in the oven and let them burn…
Baba ghannouj
Ingredients:
1,2kg aubergines
pulp from ½ lemon, minced
juice from 1/3 lemon
3 tbsp extra vergine olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ tbsp tahini
salt
pepper
To serve:
pomegranate molasses
olive oil
ground cumin
fresh cilantro
fresh parsley
fresh pomegranate
Burn whole aubergines over flames (kitchen stove, grill) until the skin is black and crunchy and pulp soft and limp. You can also burn them in the oven in 250C to get the same black skin effect (about 1 hour). Scoop the flesh and break it with the fork. Mince garlic and lemon pulp. Mix aubergines with garlic, lemon pulp, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with olive oil, pomegranate molasses, cilantro, parsley cumin and of course fresh pomegranate.
Nutrition info:
Baba ghannouj (whole) without toppings:
989 calories
protein: 20 g; fat: 62 g; carbohydrates: 113 g, dietary fiber: 41 g;
iron: 6,8 mg; calcium: 168 mg ;zinc: 5 mg
