Baba Ganoush, a grilled eggplant dip widely consumed throughout the Middle East, is kind of like hummus’s less popular friend. But once you get to know this appetizer, you’ll wonder why. Its subtly smoky flavor and silky smooth texture makes Baba Ganoush a downright sexy snack. The name of this dish itself, which is my favorite thing to say (“Baba Ganoush!”), even suggests a sultry origin story. Read on after the recipe to find out more.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized eggplant
- 1 head of garlic
- 2 tablespoons of tahini
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of cumin
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- ½ teaspoon of zaatar
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Cut the top off of the garlic head so that each clove is exposed (see the picture below for a reference). Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the exposed parts and wrap the entire head in aluminum foil.
- Prepare your grill according to manufacturer instructions. Place the eggplant over a low direct heat. Put the head of garlic on the grate. This can be over indirect heat since it’s wrapped in foil anyways. Roast the eggplant, rotating periodically so the skin is charred all the way around. This should take 30-60 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant and the temperature of your grill. By this time the garlic should be fully roasted as well.
OR
- If using your oven instead of a grill, preheat the oven to 350. Place the eggplant and foil-wrapped-garlic directly on the rack with a pan below to catch any drippings. Bake garlic and eggplant until tender, 40-60 minutes.
- Once the eggplant has cooled, peel the skin over a bowl. If properly charred, the skin should come off fairly easily but it will still be messy. Pick out any large chunks of seeds and discard. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze the cloves out of their papery peels. It should come out like a paste.
- In a food processor, mix the eggplant, garlic, tahini, olive oil, and spices. You could also mash the eggplant by hand and mix all the ingredients for a more rustic and chunky dip.
- Taste the baba ganoush. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Taste it again. Making any adjustments until you feel it’s just right.
- Garnish with more zaatar or paprika and a drizzle of olive oil, or top it off with some crunchy garlic chili oil like I did in the photo. Serve with chips, toasted pita bread, veggies, or on a salad. In fact, just serve it whichever way you like it. It’s your baba ganoush now. Own it!
Songs to cook to
“Big Poppa” by the Notorious B.I.G.
“Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple
“Djin” by Mashrou’ Leila
Is Baba Ganoush Named after a Zaddy?
No one knows exactly when or where baba ganoush originated, but the name seems to suggest an interesting story behind its invention. In Arabic, baba is a term of endearment meaning father, though not strictly referring to someone’s biological father. Ganoush or ghanouj has a few possible translations such as pampered, spoiled, or flirtatious. So baba ganoush could literally mean “flirty daddy.”
This has led some people to believe that baba ganoush was created in a harem by a concubine seeking to gain favor with her sultan. Although, there’s no real evidence that this is the case and jumping straight to a harem seems a little stereotypical. Still, I’d like to imagine that this dish was used to lock down some flirtatious daddy of history, whether in a harem or not. But before you get carried away with your eggplant emojis, there is a far more wholesome folkloric explanation focusing on the “pampered daddy” translation. According to this story, a young woman created the dish to feed her aging, toothless father. Therefore, she was pampering her father with a tasty treat smooth enough to be consumed sans dente—chewing is a young man’s game after all!
Regardless of its origin tale, baba ganoush should be enjoyed for its luxurious taste and nutritional value. Eggplant is low in calories and high in fiber, which—let’s be honest—most of us aren’t eating enough of. Most of the fat from this recipe comes from the olive oil and tahini, which are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids—that’s the good kind that your body needs! According to the Mayo Clinic, these fats can help lower your risk of heart disease by improving your cholesterol, so there’s no need to feel sinful about this snack.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. If you try it out, let me know how it went in the comments! And stay tuned for more Everyday Gourmet recipes coming out every Friday.
