Baba Ghanoush

Here are some per-eggplant proportions for making baba ghanoush. It’s a very flexible food and I’ve kept the quantities appropriately squishy. I would have just bought some, but the last time I tried I came home with eggplant-flavored hummus instead.

In theory baba ghanoush can be frozen but the internet recommends straining it first, which seems like too much trouble.

Makes about the quantity you’d get in the store.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 3 cloves garlic (or to taste)
• 2–3 T. tahini (to taste)
• 2–4 T. lemon or lime juice (optional)
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ¼ tsp cumin (optional)
• dash ground coriander (optional)
• dash smoked paprika (optional spice or garnish)
• dash cayenne pepper (optional)
• olive oil (optional garnish)

Directions

1. Broil or grill the whole eggplant until the skin is peeling off (20–30 minutes), turning occasionally. Optionally, roast the garlic with it.
2. Let cool.
3. Peel eggplant and garlic.
4. Crush the garlic.
5. Combine all non-garnish ingredients.
6. Mash with a large fork or potato masher.
7. Garnish.

Variants

Garnish with parsley.

Juice one actual lemon or lime.

Tori Avery recommends grilling the eggplant over a gas flame.

You can reserve the eggplant liquid and mix it back in to the desired consistency. (I prefer to take my chances.)