Baba ghanoush as Americans have conceptualized its taste and consistency is not the same as what is delivered in your average kebap shop here in Istanbul. I ordered baba ghanoush twice now since arriving and both times I have been met with a soupy mixture of chopped fresh tomatoes and parsley with a weak afterthought of cooked eggplant. The flavor is just not there. After this second attempt to locate satisfying baba ghanoush, I decided I would give it a go myself. I had never made it before, but knew that all of its ingredients were accessible and affordable in late winter.
As a funny side note, I absolutely love the brief description by Wikipedia, enjoy..."Baba ghanoush is a Levantine dish of eggplant mashed and mixed with olive oil and various seasonings. The Arabic term means "pampered papa" or "coy daddy," perhaps with reference to its supposed invention by a member of a royal harem."
Ingredients
3 medium eggplants
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 head of garlic (3 roasted cloves for recipe)
1 small onion (1/2 roasted onion for recipe)
2 tbsp tahini paste
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Pierce the eggplants all over with a fork. Cut the 'heads' off your onion and garlic, then lightly drizzle olive oil over eggplants, garlic and onion. Replace heads back on garlic and onion, then wrap securely in tin foil. Place all three on a baking sheet and roast for about 30-45 minutes.
NOTE: Other recipes recommend removing the skins, but it is unnecessary in my opinion and too much added work. (Just make sure you have thoroughly washed your eggplants before baking them!)
3. I placed my 2 eggplants, 3 of the roasted garlic CLOVES, and 1/2 of the roasted onion into the blender then pulsed a few times until it has a thick, chunky consistency.
4. Add remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until just combined. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Adapted from Laaloosh.
As a funny side note, I absolutely love the brief description by Wikipedia, enjoy..."Baba ghanoush is a Levantine dish of eggplant mashed and mixed with olive oil and various seasonings. The Arabic term means "pampered papa" or "coy daddy," perhaps with reference to its supposed invention by a member of a royal harem."
Ingredients
3 medium eggplants
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 head of garlic (3 roasted cloves for recipe)
1 small onion (1/2 roasted onion for recipe)
2 tbsp tahini paste
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Pierce the eggplants all over with a fork. Cut the 'heads' off your onion and garlic, then lightly drizzle olive oil over eggplants, garlic and onion. Replace heads back on garlic and onion, then wrap securely in tin foil. Place all three on a baking sheet and roast for about 30-45 minutes.
NOTE: Other recipes recommend removing the skins, but it is unnecessary in my opinion and too much added work. (Just make sure you have thoroughly washed your eggplants before baking them!)
3. I placed my 2 eggplants, 3 of the roasted garlic CLOVES, and 1/2 of the roasted onion into the blender then pulsed a few times until it has a thick, chunky consistency.
4. Add remaining ingredients and pulse a few times until just combined. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Adapted from Laaloosh.