Holiday Tidings!!

A Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Kwanzaa to you all! May this season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter. Whatever is beautiful, meaningful, and brings happiness – may it be yours this holiday season and throughout the coming year.

As I lay awake at 2 AM, thanks to jetlag, I realized that I didn’t have much time to come up with a new recipe for this week’s release. For one, the grocery shopping, the preparation, the measurements, the trial and error, the blotched photographs that need retakes – all take a long time. Secondly, with extended family arriving soon to celebrate Christmas with us, I knew I didn’t have the bandwidth to put out an elaborate recipe.

Baba Ghanoush on Pita Bread with Falafel, Veggies and Haloumi Cheese!

Strife….

Instead, my thoughts wandered to the land where Jesus was born – Bethlehem, in present-day Israel – and the strife the areas has been going through for several decades. Moreover, it never seems to end. The pictures of Syrian refugees fleeing their homeland, the devastated buildings, the trauma that young kids are going through is enough to sadden even a hard heart.

Born in the world’s largest democracy, and currently living in the second largest democratic nation in the world, it is hard for me to imagine what it must be like, to be living on the edge of death and destruction 24×7. I recently read a book The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan. The author has done a wonderful job bringing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict down to its most human level. She suggests that even amid the bleakest political realities, there exist stories of hope and reconciliation. BTW, if you have money to donate before the year-end, Charity Navigator has some fine organizations that help in the Middle East crisis. Doctors Without Borders is one of my favorites.

and Peace (Hopefully!)

Talking about reconciliation, one of the biggest things that brings people together is Food. I envision as families gather around for meals, how food is a great vehicle for sharing culture with people from different backgrounds. Food surmounts political, religious and ideological differences. “To break bread together,” a phrase as old as the Bible, captures the power of a meal to forge relationships, bury anger, provoke laughter, explore new cultures and build stronger relationships when we socialize. Oh boy, only if yoga, food and music were to rule…we’d all have so much more peace around us, wouldn’t we?

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush with Garlic-Stuffed Olives

Arabs and Jews both make this well-loved dish. It is an appetizer in several parts of the Middle East. You can taste this, as you travel through Armenia, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Greece and Turkey. I’ve eaten baba ghanoush in Greece, Turkey and Egypt, and each country seems to add its own regional flavor to this dish. In Arabic, “baba” means father and “ghanoush” means spoiled. This “spoiled dad” dip is the creamier companion to Hummus, which has already been featured on our blog. You’d also love the middle eastern Tabbouleh Salad (Parsley Salad).

What does it taste like? I’d describe it as decadent, slightly sweet with the perfect balance of savory and tangy from the lemon and tahini. I’d also describe it as lush and uber creamy. A little hard to believe it’s vegan and doesn’t require gobs of oil. But, if you have a high quality olive oil, then do smother your dish with it. It is heart-healthy and totally yummilicious!

Middle Eastern dips and salads like baba ghanoush and hummus are subject to taste. Some prefer “a little more of this” or “a little less of that.” When in doubt, taste and adjust seasonings according to your palette. I’ve on occasion, added a small jalapeño to the mix, to bring a little bit of India into my Middle Eastern cuisine. Hey, why not?!

Here’s to Happy Holidays…and someday…World Peace!!

Love Aubergines?

If you love brinjal, you’ve landed on the right website. If you want to persuade your little ones to eat veggies, check out the Eggplant rhyme in this Veggie Parade.

My neighbor calls eggplant as the “king of vegetables”. It is certainly a royalty on our blog, since we feature so many recipes that have this King in his purple robe. To name a few:

• Baingan Bharta
• Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Chutney
• Fresh Fenugreek Eggplant Sauté
• Broadbean Eggplant Sauté
• Baked Eggplant
• Spicy Tangy Stuffed Eggplant
• Eggplant Potato Spicy Medley
• Spicy Cilantro Ginger Eggplant Sauté
• Delish Bell Pepper & Eggplant Sauté!
• Smoky Eggplant Chutney

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3 from 1 vote

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush is a signature Middle Eastern grilled eggplant puree enriched with tahini and seasoned with lemon juice and lots of garlic. The dish has a smoky, pungent flavor, and is extremely versatile as an appetizer.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword aubergine, Baba Ghanoush, Eggplant, fresh parsley, Garlic, olive oil, Olives, Parsley, Sesame, Tahini

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 People

Calories 118kcal

Equipment

• Kitchen Knife
• Vitamix
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 Large Eggplant
• 1/4 Cup Tahini - Or more if needed
• 3 Cloves Garlic - Minced
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice - Or more if needed
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds - Roasted
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil - Extra Virgin
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley - Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 Cup Olives - Kalamata or other variety
• 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or to taste

Instructions

• Pierce a few holes into the skin of the eggplant (to avoid explosion) using a fork. Cut eggplants lengthwise. Brush a thin coat of olive oil on all sides. Put the eggplant pieces together (to their original shape). Cover the eggplant pieces completely with aluminium foil. Roast your eggplant in a 375 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove eggplant from the oven and let cool.
  
• Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard (or better yet, compost).
  
• In a food processor or high speed blender, combine salt, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and roasted cumin seeds and pulse to combine. Add the eggplant flesh. Adjust the flavor with more tahini or lemon juice if you prefer. If it's bitter, a little bit of sugar or honey will help.
  
• Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley. Place the olives around the sides. Serve at room temperature.
  

Notes

Baba ghanoush is healthy, gluten free, vegan, all natural and so delicious. Top with toasted pine nuts in addition to olive oil, chopped parsley, and (preferably kalamata) olives. Pair with crunchy veggies, pita bread, crackers or chips for a mouth-watering appetizer that your guests will love. Or smear between a sandwich like a chutney for your kids' lunchbox.

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baba Ghanoush

Amount per Serving

Calories

118

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

8

g

12

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

131

mg

6

%

Potassium

 

326

mg

9

%

Carbohydrates

 

10

g

3

%

Fiber

 

5

g

21

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

50

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

 

9.1

mg

11

%

Calcium

 

50

mg

5

%

Iron

 

1.3

mg

7

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.