Roasted eggplant is a popular ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, used in various dips including baba ganoush and melitzanosalata. Other variations include blending eggplant with tomatoes, olives, or legumes like chickpeas and lentils.
The mild taste and smooth texture of roasted eggplant make it an excellent ingredient for inclusion in sauces, and cooks have developed several different types of eggplant dips. Eggplant dips are popular throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, and Greek and Arabian varieties are common. Other cooks blend eggplant with their personal favorite ingredients to create eggplant salsa varieties that are less traditional but still play to the strengths of the eggplant.
Baba ganoush, or baba ghanouj, is perhaps the most famous eggplant dip in the world. This dip is a mainstay in many Middle Eastern cultures. Recipes for this dip vary from cook to cook, but are typically based on a combination of roasted eggplant and sesame paste known as tahini. Preparing eggplants by roasting them is necessary because eggplants can be a bit tough and unappealing if not fully cooked. Olive oil is usually added for flavor and richness. Onions, peppers, garlic, and other spices are typically included to add a bite to the smooth, rich flavor of the eggplant-tahini blend.
As is often the case in Mediterranean cuisine, the Greeks produced a recipe that is very similar to baba ganoush. Melitzanosalata is used as a sauce and as a condiment in Greek cuisine. This dish tends not to include sesame paste, but is still very similar to its Arabic counterparts. Garlic, lemon and peppers are typically used to add flavor and the olive oil provides richness.
Tomatoes and eggplant blend well, and some cooks dip eggplant by blending the two. This type of dipping often includes other ingredients common in Italian cooking. Basil, as an herb or pesto, can be added for flavor. Peppers, onions, garlic, and other spices are often added to enhance flavor and add sharper contrasting notes to the delicate eggplant flavor in these vegetable sauces.
A different Italian twist on an eggplant dip can be made by mixing the smooth flavor and texture of roasted eggplant with olives. Salt is often used to enhance the flavor of eggplants. The use of olives, along with Italian herbs and spices, such as oregano and garlic, adds a savory note to a dip.
Legumes like chickpeas and lentils are important in Middle Eastern cooking and form the basis for dips like hummus. They can just as easily be used in versions of an eggplant dip. This type of dip tends to be heartier and more substantial, as the legumes fill you up quite a bit. They add flavor to the dip, protein and other nutrients.
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