Baba Ghanoush is well known throughout the Middle East as a creamy, smokey dip made with eggplant, lemon juice, and tahini (sesame paste). This Lebanese recipe also uses a couple of tablespoons of yogurt, which I think adds to its creaminess. The trick to capturing this distinctive smokiness is actually charring the skin over an open flame. Unfortunately, attempts to broil the eggplant in the oven never quite come close to the open flame method.

Eggplant selection is key as well, look for one that’s deep purple in color, shiny, firm, and without blemishes. The seeds on the interior will vary—from being very seedy to having very little. If I happen to end up with a seedier one, I’ll just scoop them out after peeling the skin and before incorporating the rest of the ingredients. If left in, the texture of the dip will be unpleasant and the flavor can become bitter.

Baba Ghanoush will be commonly found on the middle eastern table among other small portions of starters for sharing as part of mezze—just waiting to be deliciously scooped up with warm bread.

Baba Ghanoush

by Julie Awad

Serves about 4

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant at room temperature (about 1 pound)

1-2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

for garnish

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Finely chopped fresh parsley

Sumac

Method

First, roast the eggplant by using the grill or microwave & gas stovetop method. You want the skin charred and the flesh softened. Grilling is the best method for this and leaves a delicious smoky flavor. But if you’re unable to grill the second method works too.

Grill

Pierce the eggplant on all sides with a fork. Place the eggplant on a hot grill and turn frequently until all the sides are heavily charred, about 15 minutes. This is where the smokey flavor comes from. Remove and set aside to cool.

Microwave & Gas Stovetop

This method softens the inside of the eggplant in the microwave and finishes the cooking over the stovetop for charring the skin.

Prick the sides of the eggplant with a fork and then place in an open large plastic freezer bag on a microwavable dish. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until the eggplant begins to soften. Carefully remove the eggplant from the bag using tongs and place it directly on the stovetop grate over a medium-high gas flame for about 3 minutes. Grip the eggplant with tongs and turn it to allow for an even charring all around. Remove from the heat and return it to the dish and allow to cool.

the baba ghanoush

Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, hold it by the stem and gently peel the skin away from the flesh using a butter knife. Trim the stem and discard with the skin. If the flesh contains any large dark seeds, which may cause the dip to become bitter, remove and discard them—a few light seeds are fine. Place the eggplant flesh in a colander to drain away any excess liquid.

In a medium bowl, mash the garlic and salt to a pulp using a pestle. Add the smoked eggplant (about 1 cup) and mash it with a fork until it’s uniform in consistency with some bits of eggplant, but no large pieces remain. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Then add the yogurt and tahini and mix until combined. Taste and adjust any seasoning.

to serve

Spoon the eggplant mixture onto a shallow dish. Spread the dip by using the back of the spoon to create an outer raised lip around the edge of the dish. Apply a little more pressure with the spoon to create a central shallow area around the raised mound in the center—this will allow for the oil to pool. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with parsley and the sumac. Serve with bread or pita toasts.