Smoky baba ganoush

This classic Middle Eastern dip is a true winner! I had an aubergine lying in the fridge for a while and I was really unsure of what to do with it. Normally I always have some dishes to make with aubergines (as they are one of my favourite vegetables!) but this time I just didn't have that much inspiration. Then I had a light bulb moment with this baba ganoush. We have a market every Saturday close by with some delicious middle eastern stalls. There is this saffron alioli which is just delicious and I'd love to have a go at making. This time I got some Lebanese bread and then made this to have alongside this baba ganoush.

To achieve a smoky flavour in the baba ganoush, I cooked the aubergine directly over the flame (exactly the same as how you would start of making baingan bharta - a Punjabi dish made with mashed aubergine, tomato and spices). I love this method of cooking aubergines as it lends a lovely smoky flavour to the final dish and takes much less time that grilling in the oven. The only downside is it can leave your hob a bit of mess, so my recommendation would be to line the hob with foil beforehand. But it is more cost-effective as you don't have to turn on the oven just to grill your aubergines, which can be a bit wasteful in my opinion.

This baba ganoush is 

• A delicious dip to have with bread & vegetable crudets 
  
  
• Takes no more than 20 minutes to put together 
  
  
• Can be scaled up on down depending on how many people you are serving 

Ingredients 

1 large aubergine 
2 garlic cloves you can add more or less depending if you like garlic
1/2 tsp cumin powder 
2 tbsp lemon juice 
1 tbsp tahini you can add more if you like the taste of tahini

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the top 
Large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped 
Pinch chilli powder 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Method 

• Firstly, create a few slits in the aubergine before cooking
  
  
• Cook the aubergine directly over an open flame on medium heat. To ensure even cooking, turn the aubergine every now and again. Also ensure that every part of the aubergine is cooked by the flame. The cooking process should take around 10 minutes on a medium heat. This cooking process will cause some smoking to happen to make sure a window is open or your extractor fan is on full. 
  
  
• By the time the aubergines has finished cooking, the skin should be crispy and the aubergine flesh really soft. There should also be a smoky smell coming from the aubergine, and you should be able to put a knife through the aubergine without any resistance. 
  
  
• Leave the aubergine to cool down slightly before peeling off the skin and removing the stalk.
  
  
• Next, transfer the aubergine to a food processor (or bowl if mashing by hand). 
  
  
• Also add the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, cumin powder, pinch chilli powder and the parsley to the food processor. Also add salt & pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Give the baba ganoush a taste and see if you would like more lemon, tahini or salt and pepper. 
  
  
• Once you have adjusted the baba ganoush according to your preferences, transfer to a dish or bowl to serve in. Drizzle over a little more olive oil and garnish with a few parsley leaves. 
  
  
• Serve baba ganoush with vegetable crudets or soft flatbreads!