Mutabal: Let’s get dipping

I love dips. I’ll let you into a little secret. Some of my proudest achievements have involved a platter and dips! It’s the sharing of food, the variation of foods and I often get to remind myself of my childhood growing up in the Middle East.

This recipe is an incredible eggplant dip and it’s one that I love. It’s a good, hearty dip that will have you coming back for more.

INGREDIENTS

2 aubergines
4 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp cold water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of salt

To finish: olive oil, sumac, fresh parsley & pomegranate seeds

1. Pierce the aubergines all over with a knife or skewer.
2. Roast the aubergines for 30 minutes at 200C and finish under the grill for a few minutes until nicely charred. If you have a gas hob, you can char the eggplant on a medium open flame for about 15 minutes. This gives the best ‘smoky’ flavour.
3. Set aside the aubergines to cool. Once cool. Peel the aubergines.
4. I like to use a knife to chop and mash up the aubergine flesh. This method gives the best texture in my opinion but you can use a food processor if you prefer.
5. Whisk together the tahini, water, lemon, garlic and salt in a bowl until smooth.
6. Add the aubergine flesh and stir everything together.
7. Serve the mutabal at room temperature and top with a generous drizzle of olive oil, sumac, fresh parsley and pomegranate seeds.

Recipe originally from @thelondonbruncher