Baba Ghannouj, or “Baba” for short, is almost identical to hummus in terms of the ingredient list save one critical substitution: that of eggplant for chickpeas, which results in a completely different flavor profile. The best, most delicious Baba is made with charred eggplant—the more charred the better. Let your eggplants grill for as long as possible to allow the smoke to seep inside the vegetables. When you’re ready to serve your Baba, diced tomatoes make for a nice garnish.
BABA GHANNOUJ
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 TBL fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt (or add more to taste)
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
Directions:
Eggplant Prep: Perforate each eggplant using a knife, then coat the outside in olive oil. Grill for 30 minutes, turning frequently until cooked through.
Transfer grilled eggplants to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the skin to steam. Once cool enough to handle, pull off skin and discard, saving the soft flesh from the inside of the eggplant. (Should yield approximately 2 cups of smoky flesh.)
Creating the Baba: Combine tahini, lemon juice, salt, and garlic in a food processor and blend. Stop processor and add eggplant flesh. For a chunkier texture, pulse a few times to combine eggplant with the rest of the ingredients. Blend thoroughly if a smoother consistency is preferred, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary to incorporate all ingredients.
