Baba Ganoush, Eggplant Dip
In researching the etymology of the dish, baba ganoush, I learned that the Arabic phrase of bābā ḡannūj carries a unique meaning. You see, the Arabic word of bābā can be translated, father or daddy for a term of endearment. Then, the Arabic term, ḡannūj, can be taken to mean coy, coquettish, or pampered. Thus, the phrase, bābā ḡannūj, translates to father of coquetry or pampered, flirtatious daddy. It is rumored so because a member of the royal harem supposedly created this glorious dip.* ** Despite its origin, this dip is regal in my opinion, with its characteristic blend of roasted eggplant, tahini, parsley, and lemon juice. Serve it in a half skin of an eggplant with a dollop of yogurt, and your guests will be impressed!
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants, I used American or globe ones here, but Italian eggplants are sweeter, smaller in size, and cook faster. Adjust cook time, serving size, or use 3 of the Italian variety.
- ¼ cup + I T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 t. minced garlic
- 1 ¼ t. sea salt
- Greek yogurt for garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Heat your oven to roast on high, and while it’s heating up, cut your eggplants in half, 4 in total. Then, brush ¼ cup of olive oil over the four meaty interiors, not the skin. Place in a roasting pan and roast in your oven for 15 minutes, and then, check every 5 minutes, flipping the halves so they char evenly. Remove from heat when the meat is golden and slightly charred, which took 45-50 minutes in my oven. Adjust according to your oven temperature. Note: you can cook the eggplants on a grill or gas burner if you’d prefer. You can also swap out Italian eggplants for the globe variety to cook faster. Adjust cooking time for all above as needed.
- Step 2 Let the eggplant cool until it’s manageable to handle. And then, take a spoon and scoop out the meaty flesh, leaving behind only the skin. Set the skin aside for a decorative serving receptacle. Toss the eggplant fruit into the basin of a blender along with the tahini, salt, and 1 T. of olive oil. Next, freshly squeeze the lemon juice, chop the parsley, and mince the garlic, adding all 3 to the basin. Blend until the mix makes a creamy purée. To serve, scoop back into the eggplant shells and add a dollop of Greek yogurt and a leaflet of parsley. Enjoy!
Who knew that this Arabic phrase, bābā ḡannūj, translates to father of coquetry or pampered daddy? And who knew that it was rumored a member of the royal harem supposedly created this glorious dip? * **This dip is regal with its mix of roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Try it once and you’ll be hooked!
Nutritional Information: servings per recipe: 7, calories: 298, total fat: 26.5 g., saturated fat: 3.4 g., cholesterol: 0 mg., sodium: 869 mg., total carbohydrate: 12.8 g., dietary fiber: 8.8 g., total sugars: 2.8 g., protein: 4.2 g., calcium: 80 mg., iron: 3 mg., potassium: 53 mg., vitamin D: 0 IU.
SOURCES:
*O’Conner, Patricia T. and Stewart Kellerman. “The Spicy History of Baba Ghanoush,” Grammarphobia:: Grammar, Etymology, Usage, and More, Brought to You by Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman, 11 March 2012. Last accessed 14 March 2022.
** “Baba ghanosh,” Wiktionary, 8 March 2022. Last accessed 14 March 2022.