Recipe: babaganoush
Homemade babaganoush bears little resemblance to the ubiquitous, over-blended eggplant dip found in the supermarket. If you have the patience to chargrill your eggplant first (on the barbecue or gas stove), the smoky flavour takes it to the next level. If not, using oven-roasted eggplant is fine.
Tip: If you’re having a barbecue, throw on an eggplant or two while the grill is hot, then cover and refrigerate to make babaganoush later. Likewise, think ahead and utilise a hot oven while cooking dinner, so eggplants are ready to use the next day.
Babaganoush
1 large or 3 small eggplants, cooked until tender and cooled
1 -3 cloves garlic, crushed (depending on how much you love garlic
2 tablespoons tahini
2+ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pinch of sea salt
Once cooled, scoop the flesh of the eggplant into a bowl, discarding the skin and any excess fluid. Use a fork to break it down, to create slightly chunky consistency. Resist the urge to use a food processor, the rustic texture creates the best flavour. Add all the ingredients and blend well with a fork or spoon. Adjust for taste, does it need more lemon, salt, garlic or tahini? Cover and refrigerate.
Optional extras
Once you’ve nailed the basic recipe, consider adding a pinch or two of one of the following herbs.
- Roasted ground cumin
- paprika
- freshly grated nutmeg (a great eggplant paring tip from The Flavour Thesaurus).
Babaganoush is vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free. Explore more allergy-friendly and easy to prepare recipes in the archive.
This is a template recipe. Many beans or roasted vegetables combine will with the base ingredients. For more versions try roasted cauliflower or beetroot dip.
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