If you like cooking middle eastern food at home Baba ganoush is one of the easiest dips to make. Have you ever looked at a recipe and rolled your eyes, thinking, Oh!! Who is going to eat it? It is not sound so interesting and then later you tried it and included that in your most often meal. Then welcome to my spice world. Earlier when I visited a middle eastern restaurant with my daughters and they ordered baba ganoush with pita I was like Uff”, I am not going to make this ever as I am a big fan of the Indian version i.e Baingan Bharta but later I liked it so much that now I make it very often.
It goes well with so many finger snacks which we often make for our parties and the best part is it is very healthy too. Babaganoush is very similar to Indian Baingan Bharta where we roast Brinjal on an open fire and add spices and onion tomato in it.
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Like Bengan Bharta curry Baba ganoush is also a very flavourful dip. I am not talking about the Punjabi Baingan Bharta Recipe which I had shared in my blog earlier where lots of spices are added to the bharta but I am talking about the simple bharta made in U.P and Bihar where they simply roast the eggplant and then mix it with mustard oil, garlic, cilantro, onion, and pickle masala and that’s all, your bharta is done.
This is the easiest recipe of babaganosh with step by step instructions and video descriptions.
This eggplant-based dip is enjoyed in several parts of the Middle East, including Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, Armenia, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Turkey. Several variations and flavour profiles exist. You can learn more here.
What to Serve with Baba Ganoush:
Basic baba ganoush is always vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free. That makes baba ganoush a great party appetizer for guests who are following special diets.
In its most basic form, baba ganoush is made with eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. I found that adding a tiny bit of ground cumin, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley takes it to the next level. I love serving it with crisp vegetables, flatbread, lavash, and baked pita chips. Sometimes I serve it with tandoori naan or kulcha too to give it an Indian twist that time I add little paprika and chat masala in the dip.
Baba ganoush is similar to hummus, but it calls for grilled or roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas. Both dips originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and they’re often served together with pita bread and raw, crisp veggies. You can use baba ganoush like you would hummus—as a dip or spread. Ready to make some?!
What’s in it? Basic Ingredients:
- Eggplant. I use 1 large globe eggplant, which is widely available in India. There are a couple of ways to prepare the eggplant for baba ganoush. Cook it over an open flame for a more smoky flavor (I’ll share both options)
- Tahini paste. Tahini paste is made of toasted sesame seeds. I use 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of homemade tahini
- Garlic. 1 to 2 fresh garlic cloves, depending on how garlicky you enjoy your dips
- Lemon juice. Citrus gives this eggplant dip a nice lift, but it’s very subtle. I use about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice, and you can add more to your liking.
- Seasonings. Salt and pepper, of course. If you like, add a bit of sumac and cayenne pepper for heat.
- Garnish. I added chopped onion and tomato with some fresh parsley you can add a few toasted pine nuts on top. But a more important garnish is a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil; it seals the deal on this authentic baba ganoush recipe and adds an extra measure of silkiness.
Making this recipe at home is easy, here are the basic steps for making it:
Step 1: Broil whole eggplants to char the skins. This step lightly chars the outsides of the eggplant, which adds a smoky flavor. Char the skin of the eggplants using a grill or even a gas burner.
Step 2: Roast it nicely. For the very best baba ganoush, the flesh of the eggplant needs to be very soft. Roasting time will vary based on how large the eggplants are. I simply roast until they look like they are caving in and a fork can very easily pierce through the flesh.
Step 3: Combine tahini with lemon juice, garlic, spices, and olive oil. These are the remaining ingredients needed to make baba ganoush. I like to mix them together early on since the mixture improves in flavour over time. Stir the roasted eggplant into the tahini mixture. I use a spoon to scoop out the soft flesh and then use a fork to mash it into the tahini and lemon juice mixture. Sometimes I use a food processor to make it smooth. However, if you want a texture then don’t use a food processor to make baba ganoush. A fork works perfectly fine!
Step 4: Add chopped onion and tomatoes and garnish with coriander or parsley.
Finally, I would like to suggest some more recipes from my blog like
Babaganosh- Middle Eastern Dip
Course: Sides, dipsCuisine: Middle Eastern, Asian4
servings10
minutes15
minutes114
kcalThis baba ganoush (baba ghanouj) recipe is smokey, creamy and a flavourful dip that you can make with very little preparation!
Ingredients
- For Roasting:
1 Eggplant large
3 Garlic Cloves
- For Dip
Roasted eggplant pulp
¼ cup tahini
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
Olive oil, parsley, chopped onion and tomato for garnish
Directions
- Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Brush it with little oil all over. Then make few slits all over the eggplant with a knife. In 3 of those slits, insert a large clove of garlic. Put the eggplant directly on heat and roast, turning often for around 10-12 minutes until completely roasted.
- Once roasted (to check if its done, insert a knife inside the eggplant, it should go easily) use a pair of tongs to remove the eggplant from heat and wrap in an aluminium foil to cool.
- Once cooled, remove the skin. Meanwhile also chop the roasted garlic.
- Transfer the roasted eggplant to a bowl and mash using a fork or potato masher. Set it aside.
- Place the flesh of the eggplant in a food processor or blender. Add the lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves and salt. Blend for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Alternatively, you can blend the lemon juice, tahini and garlic first, and then add the eggplant. Either way works.
- Garnish with parsley, chopped onion and garlic and dazzle olive oil, if desired. Enjoy with lavash, pita bread, crudité or crackers.
Recipe Video
Notes
Types of equipment I used to make Baba Ganoush:
Stand mixer – A very useful and multipurpose equipment to make creamy and tasty Baba Ganoush. I use it for almost everything like cutting chopping kneading and whipping.
Griller-To roast brinjal if you don’t have an oven or gas stove
Mini Mixer- This mini mixer of mine is a life saver, It is so handy and quick and reduces cooking time tremendously.
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