It’s Arab American Heritage Month and not only are we celebrating the culture and contributions that Arab Americans have provided to our community, but we are celebrating the amazing food that comes with it.
Eggplant has been a staple ingredient throughout Middle Eastern cuisine as it’s native to the region and can be used in a variety of dishes and cooking methods.
Baba Ganoush, originating in Lebanon, showcases the eggplant by roasting and mixing it with a few other ingredients to create a creamy, chunky dip perfect for an appetizer or quick snack.
The eggplant is typically roasted over an open fire providing a smoky taste and is then combined with tahini, a popular paste in Middle Eastern cuisine, which consists of roasted sesame seeds.
It is then combined with garlic, lemon juice and optionally other spices and served with warm pita bread.
This dish is perfect to celebrate with friends or family or a great option for a potluck as it’s quick and easy to make.
If you’d like to make this recipe for yourself, follow the steps below!
Recipe
1. Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Optionally, you can also choose to cook the eggplant over an open flame.
2. Cut the eggplants in half and score each slice of eggplant. Drizzle with olive oil and salt.
3. Next, place the eggplants face down on a baking sheet. When the oven is ready, add them to the oven and allow to roast until completely tender.
4. Peel and place in a bowl. Mash with a fork (the mixture is supposed to remain a little chunky).
5. Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper. Continue to mix throughly, leaving the mixture chunky. Optionally, you can also run this through your food processor, but it will be smoother.
6. Plate and top with high quality extra virgin olive oil, parsley and paprika.
7. Serve with pita and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 small eggplants
- 1/4 cup tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil (to coat eggplant)
- Extra virgin olive oil, to garnish (optional)
- Parsley, to garnish (optional)
- Paprika, to garnish (optional)
- Pita bread, to serve
