Baba Ghannuj

I have been cooking MIddle Eastern and Greek Cuisine for over 30 years, and this is an excellent recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 clove garlic
• salt to taste
• 4 TBSP. tahini (heavy sesame seed oil, but not
• the type used in Oriental cooking)
• 1/4 cp. water
• 1/4 - 1/2 cp. lemon juice (depending on how tart
• you want it to be)
• finely chopped parsley and/or pomegranate seeds
• (for garnish)
• simmaq, optional (tart, ground seasoning from the
• seed of the sumac tree)
• 1 TBSP. olive oil

Directions

Eggplant may be baked or grilled over a flame until well done -- the latter is preferable. Place eggplant in bowl and remove the skin carefully, preserving the liquid. Chop fine.
Mash garlic with salt. Add TAHINI and blend thoroughly; slowly add water, mixing well. Add lemon juice and thoroughly blend. Pour sauce over chopped eggplant. With a potato masher or mdaqqa (LARGE WOODEN MALLET) pound, mash, and blend the ingredients. Garnish edge of serving dish with parsley, placing a small mound of bab ghannouj in the center; or garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley. This may be used as an appetizer or a side dish for Lenten season.
OPTIONAL: Arabic custom is to pour a small amount of olive oil over top as well as a sprinkling of simmaq.
NOTE: For the Western palate this makes an excellent dip, especially when using small pieces of Arabic bread instead of crackers. For a dip, place all ingredients in the blender and blend together well.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Lebanese Cuisine by Madelain Farah
Submitted By: Kat
KattyWhampusLOL@aol.com
Baba Ghannuj