baba ganoush

I can’t believe that Summer is coming to an end and that we’re almost in September. Time has flown by so quickly this year; it feels like yesterday that I announced my pregnancy on the blog and now I’m already in my sixth month! Pregnancy has been such an amazing adventure so far and I’m still in awe about how beautiful and perfect nature is. The third trimester is around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited for it to be Winter — for the first time ever.

Although I’m so ready for it to be December already, I’m still happy to be enjoying the last warm summer days before Fall starts again. I really love cooking in the Summer — despite the heat that feels a million times worst during pregnancy — because of all the amazing produce that the season brings to my kitchen. Summer meals in our home involve a lot of fruits and vegetables and light meals.

There’s nothing like a smoky dip to go with warm pita bread or chopped vegetables for an appetizer on a hot day. One of my favorites is baba ganoush, a Middle Eastern dip made with roasted eggplants, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. I love the smokey flavor of eggplants paired with the deliciousness of tahini, and even if this recipe is best when the eggplants are roasted on the barbecue or directly on the gas burner, you can still make it in the oven like I do and get a delicious result.

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baba ganoush

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

Recipe type: Salad, Vegetables

Cuisine: Lebanese/Syrian

Serves: About 2 cups

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggplants
• 1 medium garlic clove, crushed
• 7 tablespoons tahini paste
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ¾ teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/430°F.
2. Prick the eggplants all around with a fork. Place them side by side on a baking tray and roast for a total of 1 hour, turning them every 20 minutes during the process. By the end of the cooking time, the skin should be charred and black and the flesh of the eggplants should be easily pierced with a knife.
3. Immediately after roasting, cut the eggplants in half and remove the large pockets of seeds. These large pockets of seeds are bitter and affect the smooth texture of baba ganoush, so it is important to take out the biggest amount of seeds. Put the eggplant flesh in a sieve and press it against the sieve with a fork to release all the liquid.
4. In a mixing bowl, add the eggplant flesh and mash it well with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine.
5. Serve the baba ganoush at room temperature topped with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

SERVING TIPS: Serve baba ganoush with warm pita bread or raw vegetable sticks
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Za'atar, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint or parsley leaves
STORAGE TIPS: Baba ganoush keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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