Baba Ghanoush Recipe

Baba Ghanoush

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

Every restaurant I visited in Dubai included hummus (chickpea paste), baba ghanoush (a Middle Eastern puree of eggplant), tzatziki (Greek dip of cucumber and yoghurt), tabbouleh (Lebanese salad of bulgur wheat and vegetables) and fattoush (Levantine salad with toasted pita bread) on the menu. All were served with pita bread and accompanied main courses of chicken, lamb and or fish. Dried limes and spices were the norm as were goat’s cheese, eggs, olives, honey, fruit, almonds and dates. A favourite of mine, the most popular dessert in the UAE, was UmAli which means “queen of puddings”. Scrumptious!

Yields : one small bowl size

Ingredients:

280g or 3 Medium Bringals (with the skins on)

1 large Garlic Clove

15 ml Lemon Juice

15 ml Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Method :

1) Gas Stove. Ignite a burner on top of your stove and place the brinjals on top of this flame. Turn the brinjals over or around with a “carving” fork or long-nose tong, so not to burn yourself, as the skins start getting burnt. Continue these processes until the entire outer skin of the brinjals are “burnt.”  Place these into a plastic bag, tie closed, and allow cooling.

Electric Oven. Place the brinjals onto a tray, lightly drizzled with olive oil, into a hot oven. In addition, follow the same procedure as above.

2) When cool remove the skins

3) Liquidise this brinjal mixture up with the other ingredients. Season well and serve

4) Serve with Pita bread and/or biscuits as a dip. The smokiness of baba ghanoush compliments all venison dishes exceptionally well.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron 
Head Chef 
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713