Fancy eggplant dip AKA Baba Ghanouj, carrots, glitter tattoo from my kid’s school family night, remnants of dip on my fingertip. My kind of day.
Baba ghanouj! (Or is it ghanoush? Ganoosh? A dip made of eggplants and stuff anyway.) Alberta eggplants were up at the market and I couldn't resist. Best veggie dip/spread/saucy number.
Eggplants are not for everyone - they are a nightshade and they can be trouble for some. But like all foods, there’s a bright side too - eggplants are good for clearing stagnant blood in the body, helpful for hemorrhoids, support balance in the liver and uterus and are rich in bioflavonoids. (Talk with your medical practitioner, but Asian medicine encourages minimal consumption in pregnancy.)
Slice largish eggplant in half (or quarters if it's really big,) brush with a bit of olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt (I used my girl, Luka Symon’s herb salt she made for me, cos she's a pal.) Roast for 30 minutes or so at 400°F until soft. Meanwhile mix the following till smooth:
2 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tahini (I was out so used sunflower seed butter instead, worked fine)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried or handful fresh chopped parsley
1/4 tsp sea salt
Optional dash of hot sauce (I used Luka’s fermented hot sauce she made me cos, did I mention what a pal she is?)
When eggplant is soft and cooler, spoon out of skin into a fine mesh strainer and press excess liquid out for a minute. Transfer eggplant pulp into oil mixture and mash or hand blend to desired consistency. Enjoy as a spread/dip of any kind. I topped mine with smoked paprika and dried parsley from last year's Blue Mountain Biodynamic Farm crop.
(Dry your herbs if you can't use them fresh! You'll thank yourself later #nutritionadviceudidntaskedfor)
Enjoy, my friends!