Before moving to London, I rarely ate Middle Eastern style cuisine. Not because I didn’t like it, it was just far more common to get tacos or Chinese. Here in the city you can’t walk down a high street without seeing a handful of kebab shops, so needless to say, I’ve had my fair share of late night falafel. One of the more delicious options at some of these shops is a side of baba ghanoush. It’s a wonderfully smokey yet light dish that goes oh so well with some pita bread.
While baba ghanoush is not particularly difficult to make, it can be tricky to achieve an extremely smokey flavor without some extra equipment than I use in this recipe. This version may not be as smokey, but believe me it’s still full of flavor and absolutely delicious.
The base of the dish is eggplant, making it a bit lighter than hummus, but still full of nutrients. Eggplants are high in antioxidants, particularly an anthocyanin called nasunin. They are also a great source of fiber, which can help keep your blood sugar from spiking. Eggplant is so versatile and it’s so easy to add into many types of dishes for a boost of nutrients! Toss them in your stir fry, soups or pasta dishes!
Baba Ghanoush
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant aubergine
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 lemon's juice
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- pinch Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp Greek/vegan yogurt optional
- drizzle Olive oil for garnish
- Green olives for garnish
- Chili flakes for garnish
Instructions
Directions
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and roast face down at 400/200 degrees F/C for 45-60 minutes, skin should be charred
- Remove the skins and roughly chop the aubergine and place in a strainer for 5 minutes to allow excess moisture to drain
- Place eggplant and remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend to desired consistency
- Serve with pita, on sandwiches or with a veggie bowl. Enjoy!
