Eggplant Mutabal Recipes

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP (EGGPLANT MOUTABAL)

Steps:

• Remove grate and prepare a charcoal grill for medium heat (coals should be covered with ash and glowing red with no black remaining). Place eggplants directly on coals and cook, turning occasionally, until skins are completely charred and flesh collapses, 15-20 minutes. (Alternatively, you can char over a gas burner on medium-high heat, turning occasionally with tongs, 12-15 minutes.) Transfer to a colander set over a medium bowl. Let cool 15 minutes.
• Remove skins from eggplants (it's okay if some bits of charred skin don't come off). Transfer flesh to a sieve set over a bowl and let drain 10 minutes.
• Transfer eggplant flesh to a food processor; add tahini, lemon juice, and 3 Tbsp. oil and process until creamy; season dip with salt.
• Transfer dip to a bowl and top with pomegranate seeds and black sesame seeds; drizzle with more oil.
• Do Ahead
• Dip can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

GRILLED EGGPLANT DIP (MUTABAL)

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Prick the skin of the eggplants several times with a knife.
• Cook directly on the preheated grill, turning frequently, until eggplants have collapsed and are very soft and the skin has charred, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to cool, about 15 minutes.
• When eggplants are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scrape out the flesh. Put the flesh into a colander and place over a bowl to drain, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer to a mixing bowl, add crushed garlic and salt, and mash until creamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, tahini, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and black pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Taste, adjust seasonings, and stir in parsley and mint. Transfer to a small dish. Use the back of a spoon to swirl indentations on the surface, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

MUTABBAL (EGGPLANT SALAD)

Steps:

• Remove the head of the eggplants, and make two horizontal incisions with the knife on each side of the eggplant.
• Place the eggplants under the grill for 30 minutes, until the skin is almost burnt. In the meantime, mix the two tablespoons of Tehina with the lemon juice until it becomes a smooth light beige uniform paste.
• Remove the eggplants, and place them on a plate.
• Bring a deep dish and open up the eggplants.
• Start removing the inside of the eggplants and placing it in the deep dish. Make sure you don't take any of the skin.
• The insides of the eggplant will be slightly watery, so mix it with a fork which would at the same time cut it into smaller pieces, almost a paste though not uniform in any way.
• Add the Tehina paste and mix well with the fork.
• Crush the garlic cloves with the chili pepper and add to the mixture.
• Mix well. Add salt and olive oil to taste.

MUTABAL (EGGPLANT-TAHINI DIP)

Steps:

• Cook the eggplants directly on the burner of a gas stove or in the oven. On a gas stove, sear the eggplants directly over a medium-high flame. Rotate every 5 minutes, until the globes are completely blackened, about 15 minutes total. Alternately, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the eggplants on a sheet tray, poke them all over with the tines of a fork, rub them with the oil, and place the tray in the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the eggplants collapse in on themselves and the skins are blackened.
• Place the cooked eggplants in a bowl and seal the bowl with plastic wrap to let the eggplants steam in their own juices.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice and zest, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• When the eggplants have cooled enough to touch, split them lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding the skins and stems. For a milder flavor, scrape the seeds off the strands of pulp.
• Use a fork to mash the pulp into the tahini-garlic mix, creating a chunky dip. Adjust the salt to taste.
• When ready to serve, scoop the eggplant mixture onto a serving plate. Use a spoon to create a well in the center and drizzle in the oil, then garnish with the molasses, pomegranate seeds, and parsley.