Baba Ghanouj / Moutabal
متبل·(moo-tah-bal)
The Sunday Feast: Mezze & Mashewe
If you grew up in the diaspora, you know the creamy, smoky, tahini-laced eggplant dip as 'Baba Ganoush.' But take a trip back to the mountains of Lebanon and ask a grandmother for Baba Ghanouj, and she’ll hand you a vibrant, tangy eggplant salad. The creamy dip you actually want is called Moutabal. We’re setting the record straight. The secret to the genuine article is fire: you must char the living daylights out of the eggplant over an open flame. Don't be afraid of it; that blackened, blistered skin is exactly what gives the flesh its unmistakable, intoxicating smokiness.
Ingredients
- Globe eggplants2 large
- Lebanese tahini1/3 cup
- plain whole-milk yogurt2 tbsp
- fresh lemon juice3 tbsp
- garlic2 large
- kosher salt1 tsp
- extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- pomegranate seeds2 tbsp
- fresh mint leaves1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Char the eggplant without mercy.
Line the area around your gas burners with foil. Place the pierced eggplants directly on the grates over medium-high heat, turning with metal tongs until completely ashy, collapsed, and weeping—about 15 to 20 minutes. If you only have an electric stove, broil them on a foil-lined sheet as close to the element as possible.
- 02
Drain the bitter juices.
Let the eggplants cool until you can safely handle them, then peel away and discard the blackened skin. Place the smoky flesh in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and let it drain for at least 15 minutes.
- 03
Mash the aromatics into a paste.
Sprinkle the salt over the garlic cloves on your cutting board. Using the flat side of your chef's knife, aggressively scrape and mash the garlic and salt together until it forms a fine, smooth paste.
- 04
Mash the eggplant by hand.
Transfer the drained eggplant to a mixing bowl and use a fork to mash it until relatively smooth, retaining a slightly rustic, stringy texture.
- 05
Emulsify and plate.
Add the garlic paste, tahini, yogurt, and lemon juice to the eggplant. Stir vigorously with your fork until the mixture becomes creamy, cohesive, and pale. Spread onto a shallow serving plate, create a well with the back of a spoon, and garnish with olive oil, pomegranate seeds, and mint.
Notes
Step away from the food processor.
Do not even look at your food processor for this recipe. The high-speed blades will obliterate the eggplant's delicate cellular structure and turn your dip into a viscous, unappetizing glue. Do the work by hand.
The grandmother's yogurt trick.
The spoonful of yogurt isn't just for tang. It cuts the oily weight of the tahini and acts as a natural bleaching agent, preventing oxidation and keeping the dip a brilliant, appetizing white.
From Cook Lebanese in America.