Together with hummus, this is the classic mezze dip that in Lebanon is called baba ghannuge and in Syria mutabbal. There is this rather puzzling habit in the Muslim world to switch names of dishes from one country to another: for example, the word tagine in Tunisia is a kind of frittata but in Morocco it is a stew. Mutabbal in Lebanon describes a grilled eggplant salad, which in Syria is called baba ghannuge, and at the beginning, when I was less aware of these quirks in naming dishes, I would get annoyed in Syrian restaurants thinking I had ordered one dish only to be presented with another.
SERVES 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE DIP
- 6 large eggplants (about 9 ounces/250 g each)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) tahini
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
- Juice of 1½ lemons, or to taste
- Sea salt
FOR SERVING:
- Fresh pomegranate seeds (ideally sour pomegranate)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Flatbread
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat a broiler to very high and position a rack as close to the heat as possible.
- Prick the eggplants in several places to prevent them from bursting. Place them on a nonstick baking sheet and broil for 20 to 25 minutes on each side until the skins are charred.
- Scoop out the flesh of the broiled eggplants and place in a sieve. Let the flesh sit for 30 minutes to drain excess liquid.
- Mash the eggplant in a large wide bowl using a fork or a potato masher. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Mix well and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Transfer the dip to a medium shallow serving bowl and make grooves here and there. Garnish the peaks with pomegranate seeds and drizzle a little olive oil in the grooves. Serve with flatbread.
