The quintessential Middle Eastern vegan/vegetarian dish is a guarantee to wow your guests on your dinner parties or feasts.
It’s all about the smokiness, which lends an amazing flavour to this famous dish. Great with crusty sourdough bread or on pita with different roasted meat or tofu, roasted vegetables and many more, so please try it and let us know ☺
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 large) eggplants
- 2 tablespoons tahina
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed (roasted preferably)
- Juice of 2-3 lemons, to taste
- Sea salt
- 100 g Haloumi, cut into long strips
- 1/4 Pomegranate, seeds
- Parsley leaves, handful (or watercress)
Method
- Prick eggplants in several places with the tip of a sharp knife – this prevents the eggplant from exploding during cooking.
- The best way to cook the eggplants is on a hot coal barbecue, on a gas cooktop or under a hot grill for 30 minutes, turning them regularly so that they char and blister evenly all over. This method creates a strong smoky flavour. See video below.
- Set aside just until eggplants are cool enough to handle (longer you let it sit better it is as it will release its toxicity Solanine- which is is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family) then remove stems and peel off and discard the blistered skins.
- Place eggplant flesh in a colander to drain for 10 minutes. Mash flesh with a fork to give a textured
- paste. In a separate bowl mix tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice and a bit of water, season with salt to taste. Add to the eggplant puree and mix it till its combined, add salt if necessary.
- Meanwhile, pan roast or char on a BBQ the haloumi strips till its nicely golden brown (although Haloumi is quite fatty and oil is not needed, you can add a bit of olive oil for taste).
- To serve, spoon the smoky eggplant on a flat dish in a circular movement, top it with Haloumi, Pomegranate and greens. Drizzle some olive oil and salt if necessary.
