24 October 2006

Tahini Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanoush)


Baba Ghanoush is one of the most famous dips of Lebanese Kitchen, well known to Melbournians, and it is yummy. It is also well-known in the Southeastern Turkey. In other, particularly western parts of Turkey, this dip is made with olive oil instead of tahini. Both are equally nice, and different enough to try. The tahini one is nice as a dip, whereas the olive oil one is better served as a sidedish especially with fish.
The recipe is from Abla Amad's Lebanese Kitchen.

1 kilo eggplants (aubergine)
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
2/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil; sumak; dried mint, to garnish

1. Roast the eggplants on the stovetop until black blisters appear, turning occasionally. Abla suggests that you peel the eggplants under cold water. I place them on a plate and peel them with a sharp knife. Dice the eggplant.

2. Add the eggplant pieces, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and salt together into the food processor, and mix for about two minutes. Make sure that the tahini is stirred well into the dip.

3. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle sumak and dried mint. Or serve with fresh diced tomatoes and European parsley.
Serve it with Turkish pide. It goes well with the beetroot dip.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ceviz,

This recipe sounds great! It really is a classic Lebanese/Turkish dish isn't it? I'm a Sydney-sider and have been eating my way through many Turkish restaurants in Sydney. I found one particular favourite on www.menulog.com.au called Little Istanbul - in the suburb of Randwick.

As well as serving a mean baba ghanoush, they actually make a unique dish that I was hoping you would have a recipe for. It is listed on their menu simply as "Zucchini". It is like a fried patty with zuchinni inside covered with a tomato based sauce and drizzled with yogurt.

I would love to make this at home myself but don't know where to start. Can you help Ceviz?

Anonymous said...

Yes, the dish is called mucver - zucchini fritters. I will post the recipe sometime soon. Cheers.