Smoked Eggplant & Black Sesame Baba Ganoush
Smoked Eggplant & Black Sesame Baba Ganoush… a fresh take on a classic, with layers of smoky, nutty and tangy flavours.
Ingredients:
The smoky base
- 2 medium eggplants (aubergines)
- 1 small spring onion
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
The black sesame cream
- 1½ tbsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp tamarind paste, unsweetened
- 2–3 tbsp cold water, as needed
The finishing flavours
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp toasted black sesame seeds
- A few fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
Preparation Steps:
- Roast the eggplants directly over a gas flame, turning frequently, until the skin is blackened and the flesh feels completely soft. Alternatively, roast under a hot grill or in an oven at 240°C until deeply charred and tender.
- Let the eggplants cool slightly, peel off the burnt skin and place the flesh in a sieve for 10–15 minutes.
- Toast the black sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously until fragrant. Cool and grind them finely. Mix with the tahini, lemon juice, tamarind paste and 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a thick, dark, nutty cream.
- Char the spring onion in a dry pan until softened and lightly blackened. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins. Finely chop the spring onion and mash the garlic into a paste.
- Mash the drained eggplant with a fork. Fold in the black sesame cream, garlic, spring onion, cumin, smoked paprika, pepper, olive oil and salt. Add cold water a little at a time until the texture is creamy but still slightly rustic. Taste and adjust the lemon, tamarind and salt.
- Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter toasted black sesame seeds and mint over the top.
