Wowowowow!!! I did NOT know how GOOD Baba Ganoush really is!!! I mean, I always hear people making fun of the word in shows and in jokes, my dad use to joke about that word with my sister and I because we thought it sounded funny. Only a few years ago did I learn that it was actually a dish! And only this week did I ever try it for the first time in my life and discover the TASTINESS of this simple dip!!! AJKDFGJKDF! Sorry, I am just super excited about it.
I always thought, ‘gosh…eggplant…as a dip?..That just doesn’t look to appetizing’. My husband particularly hates all things eggplant, so he made me think it was extra gross lol. But after making my Italian Tomato Eggplant Bake, I had leftover eggplant that I did not know what to do with. So thats when I thought of trying this. And I’m glad I did!! It was my first time ever making it, and I think I would get an A+ for flavor. It is just the right amount of spiciness kick too. I will definitely be making this dish again.
So if you ever have an eggplant laying around, I dare you to give this a try. Eat it with your favorite tortilla chips, or some roasted carrots (like I did last night), or with fresh sliced cucumber. You decide!
BTW I did NOT use Tahini (a usual in this dish) because I am severely allergic to sesame seeds! So I substituted it with delicious Garlic infused Olive oil (you can get this at a health food store usually, I’ve even found it at my regular local grocery store too).
Original recipe thanks to Cooking with Manali.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp - Coconut Oil (for baking)
- 1 - Large Eggplant
- 4 Tbsp - Garlic Infused Olive Oil (if you can't find this, use regular olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic)
- 1 Lemon - Juiced
- 1 tsp - Dried Parsley
- 1 tsp - Cumin Powder
- 1/2 tsp - Cayenne Pepper
- Dash of Chilli Flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450F.
- Slice your eggplant into 1/4" slices, coat with coconut oil all around, and layer evenly on an oiled baking sheet in the oven for 15-20 minutes (continue to check on them to prevent burning! A little charing is good).
- Once the eggplant is fully cooked, take it out to cool, and toss all of your ingredients into a blender. Blend until creamy smooth and at the consistency you like.
- Transfer to a dipping bowl. Make an indent on top with your spoon and top with olive oil and other garnishes like parsley or pine nuts, and enjoy warm with your favorite tortilla chips or veggies!
Notes
This heats up very nicely for leftovers, simply put it in the microwave for a minute to warm it up again.
2 comments
Do you leave the skin on the eggplant and all the seeds as well??
Yes you can! Although if you don’t like the skin, cook it and just scout the insides out. The seeds add a nice subtle crunch, you hardly notice them once they get cooked 🙂