Baba Ganoush - A Lebanese dip
Baba ganoush is a Lebanese dip made from smoky roasted eggplant and tahini blended together to make a smooth and creamy dip. Consider it to be the first cousin of hummus but swapping out chickpeas for eggplant!
The best way to describe the flavor of this dip is to call it slightly smoky vegetable hummus. The texture and flavors are very similar to hummus. But the roasted eggplant, the dash of cumin, and the pinch of cayenne really help to take this dip to the next level.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lbs eggplant (about 1 large eggplant)
- ½ tbsp + ¼ tsp salt, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed but skin still on
- olive oil cooking spray
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 3 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- minced parsley, aleppo pepper, and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- pita bread, toasted naan, crackers, and/or chopped veggies, for serving
Notes:
*There are different schools of thought when it comes to salting eggplant before roasting. Some say it takes out the bitterness. Some think roasted eggplant is fine without salting it first. I prefer to salt eggplant. I also prefer to slice the eggplant before roasting it as opposed to roasting it whole in order to get browned (flavorful) spots on more surface area of eggplant.
*Keeping the garlic in its skin helps it to roast without burning. Smashing it first helps it slide right out when it’s finished.
*Aleppo pepper is a Middle Eastern ground pepper that’s slightly spicy and slightly smoky. It’s one of my favorite spices! If you don’t have aleppo pepper, you could garnish with another sprinkle of sweet or smoked paprika.
Instructions:
Prepare the eggplant: Slice both ends off the eggplant. Slice eggplant to roughly ¾ inch slices. Line a large baking tray with paper towels. Sprinkle ½ tbsp salt on both sides of the cut eggplant. Let sit for 25-30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Blot both sides of the eggplant with a paper towel to absorb the moisture and extra salt. Remove the paper towels, and line the same baking tray with aluminum foil. Spray foil with olive oil cooking spray. Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on the tray along with the garlic cloves still in their skin. Spritz the tops with olive oil spray. Roast for 25-30 mins until the eggplant starts to brown.
When the eggplant and garlic are cool enough to handle, remove the roasted garlic cloves from the skin, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Run a spoon between the skin and the flesh of each slice of eggplant to remove the skin. Transfer the roasted eggplant to the food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and ¼ tsp salt. Blend until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Transfer dip to a serving bowl, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of minced parsley, aleppo pepper, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with pita, naan, crackers, or veggies!
