Baba Ghanoush Recipe

I have just harvested my first eggplant from the garden so my thoughts are turning to Baba Ghanoush recipes and all the other delicious things I can make using eggplant. I was quite surprised to have an eggplant so early as it hasn’t been a good summer and in previous years it has been well into autumn before the harvest began – see my earlier post on growing eggplant or aubergine.

Baba Ghanoush (or eggplant dip) is a popular appetiser throughout the Middle East. Over the next few posts I will share some of my favourite eggplant recipes.

1 large or 2 small eggplants
1 tbsp olive oil (can use yoghurt instead of oil)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup tahini*
2 tsp ground cumin
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves (optional)

Salt to taste
Chopped mint, coriander or parsley to garnish

Preheat oven to 180C

Slice eggplants in half lengthways and place flesh-side-up on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until flesh is soft. Peel off skin and discard.

Place eggplant flesh, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, cumin and coriander leaves (if desired) into a food processor. Using a pulse action, process for 30 seconds or until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

Garnish with herbs of your choice and serve with pita bread wedges and/or vegetable sticks.

*tahini is a paste made from ground toasted sesame seeds