How To Cook Original Recipes For Baba Ganush - Recipe

Baba Ganush is a snack typical of Arabic cuisine and the Middle East. In Lebanon it is also called mutabal, and in Israel it is called hacil be'thina (eggplant with tahini) or hacilim salad, which means eggplant salad. All these names refer to the same thing - a creamy snack containing roasted and mashed eggplant, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, seasoned with salt. It is flavored with a variety of spices according to taste and preferences. Served as a salad, snack or appetizer. Chickpeas, zucchini, peppers or other vegetables, yogurt and crunchy nuts can be added to the original recipe for Baba Ganush . The snack is similar to the popular in Bulgaria kyopoolu, but differs from it in that in addition to eggplant, it also contains tahini.

Baba Ganush - kyopooluto of the Middle East

• 2 medium-sized aubergines, baked
• 6 tablespoons sesame tahini
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• smoked paprika to taste

Peel the roasted aubergines, chop them finely and transfer to a deep bowl. Season with olive oil and mash with a fork until a creamy mixture. Add tahini, garlic and salt and mix well. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Transfer Baba Ganusha to a bowl and sprinkle with smoked paprika. Serve the snack chilled or at room temperature, along with slices of bread, crackers or fresh vegetables of your choice. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and olive oil if desired.

Baba Ganush with peppers and homemade sesame tahini

• 2 aubergines, roasted 
• 3 marinated red peppers, roasted
• 50 grams of sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pinches of hot red pepper

To prepare the homemade sesame tahini, heat a dry pan and toast the sesame seeds. Pour them into a mortar and crush them. Add the sesame oil in a thin stream and continue to stir until the mixture thickens.

Peel the eggplant and peppers, mash them and put in a bowl. Add the resulting sesame tahini. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir, cool and serve Baba Ganush cold, sprinkled with hot red pepper if desired.

Tips for preparing and serving Baba Ganush:

• Prepare the snack with tahini, which is to your taste - sunflower, peanut or other. It is delicious even with peanut butter. Season with spices you like.
• Use a variety of nuts to add crunchiness and different flavors and textures to the Baba Ganush snack. Garnish with fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts and olive oil.
• To the original recipe for Baba Ganush you can add a can of chickpeas or roasted and mashed 2-3 zucchini to provide your body with more useful nutrients.
• Prepare Baba Ganush with freshly baked warm eggplant to get a delicious and fresh dip with a delicate and creamy texture.
• Be sure to drain the eggplant well of excess water before mashing and combining with the other ingredients. Do not over-puree or blend the eggplant to avoid a snack with too liquid a consistency. To avoid this, mash with a fork.
• You can store the snack in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Baba Ganush is a suitable dip for consumption by vegans and vegetarians, as it does not contain animal ingredients. It is also low in carbohydrates, and most of the calories in it come from tahini.