Baba Ganoush

Name: Baba Ganoush
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Levant
Ingredients: 3 eggplants, about 1 kg (2¼ lb); 4 tbsp tahini; 1 lemon, juiced, plus more to taste; 1 clove garlic, grated; 4 g (⅔ tsp) fine sea salt, plus more to taste; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve; pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, sumac or paprika, to serve

Silky, smoky charred eggplant with tahini, lemon and garlic

Makes: about 500 g (2 cups)
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 1 h
Level: Easy

The smoke is everything: eggplants charred directly over a flame or under a hot grill until collapsed and blackened, then the soft flesh is mixed by hand with tahini, lemon and garlic. Draining the flesh first stops it turning watery.

Ingredients

3eggplantsabout 1 kg (2¼ lb)
4 tbsptahini
1lemonjuiced, plus more to taste
1 clovegarlicgrated
4 gfine sea salt (⅔ tsp)plus more to taste
2 tbspextra-virgin olive oilplus extra to serve
pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, sumac or paprikato serve

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Allergens: sesame
Origin: Levant
Season: Summer, Autumn

Method

Prick the eggplants a few times. Char them directly over a gas flame, on a grill over high heat, or under a very hot oven grill (broiler), turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is blackened and blistered all over and they are completely collapsed and soft, 20–30 minutes. 25 min
Put them in a colander to cool for 10 minutes. Slit them open and scoop the flesh into the colander, discarding the skin. Leave to drain for 10 minutes. 20 min
Chop the flesh roughly and put in a bowl. Mix in the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and olive oil with a fork until creamy but still with some texture.
Taste for salt and lemon. Spread on a plate, drizzle with more oil and scatter with pomegranate, parsley and sumac.

Why it works

Charring the eggplants whole cooks the flesh in its own steam while the burnt skin infuses it with smoke. Cooked eggplant flesh weeps a lot of liquid; draining it gives a richer, less watery dip. Mixing by hand rather than blending keeps a silky but slightly stringy texture.

Common mistakes

Pulling the eggplants too early: any firm patch stays spongy. They should collapse completely.
Blending: it turns gluey. Mash with a fork.

Variations

Mutabal yogurt version: Fold in 3 tbsp thick yogurt for a creamier, milder dip (adds milk).

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Notes

Charring on a gas hob is messy; line the hob with foil around the burner.