I lovvvvve mutabbal (aka baba ghanoush in the West) 😋 This smoky eggplant dip has to be in my top 5 absolute favourite things to snack on.
We’re lucky we’re surrounded by good eateries that sell delicious baba ghanoush, but I’ve always wanted to be able to make it myself as well. I’ve given a few different recipes a go but they’ve all produced pretty meh (read: average) tasting dips. This one though is the best so far! I oven-roasted the eggplant so it lacked a bit of the smokiness. I definitely recommend grilling it on the bbq if you can.
Did You Know?
I recently learned that Baba Ghanoush is misnamed in the Western world and confused with Mutabbal.
Mutabbal is the puréed eggplant dip we’re used to seeing in Lebanese restaurants often referred to as “baba ghanoush”. In the Arab world, baba ghanoush is more of a finely chopped salad (made with eggplant) but without the use of yogurt or tahini.
Mutabbal (aka Baba Ghanoush)
Course: AppetizersCuisine: Middle-EasternDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes40
minutes1
hour10
minutesIngredients
2 eggplants
3 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp vinegar
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp red chilli powder
sumac
fresh coriander leaves
olive oil
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 170C.
- Use a fork to poke holes in the eggplant (eggplants tend to explode if you don’t do this!)
- Roast the eggplants for about 40-50 minutes (or until soft and almost collapsing). Flip the eggplants halfway through the cook.
- Take out the eggplant from the oven and wrap in foil or a tea towel. Set aside to cool. This will make it easier to peel it.
- When cool, peel the eggplants (or scoop the flesh using a spoon).
- Place it in a strainer to let all the excess liquid drain (for about 30 mins or an hour).
- Remove any excess seeds you easily can. Chop roughly — I like to chop rather than blend it because I like the chunkiness in the dip.
- In a separate bowl mix together all the remaining ingredients (you can do this in a blender to get a smooth, even mix).
- Fold in the chopped eggplant.
- Plate up and garnish with olive oil, fresh coriander leaves, and sumac. You could also use pomegranate molasses and/or lemon zest to fancy it up.
