Baba Ghanoush Bahrain Food

TRADITIONAL BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange oven racks so you have one low and one high in the oven.
• Cut a shallow slit along the side of the eggplant and place into a baking dish.
• Roast in preheated oven on the lower rack until the eggplant is completely shrunken and soft, about 40 minutes. Move dish to higher rack and continue baking until the skin is charred, about 5 minutes more. Let eggplant cool until cool enough to handle.
• Peel and discard skin from eggplant. Put eggplant into a bowl; add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir until ingredients are evenly mixed. Drizzle olive oil over the baba ghanoush and garnish with parsley.

CHEF JOHN'S BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Prick the surface of the skin of eggplants several times with the tip of a knife.
• Place eggplants directly on grill. Turn frequently with tongs while skin chars. Cook until eggplants have collapsed and are very soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to cool, about 15 minutes.
• When eggplants are cool enough to handle, split them in half and scrape flesh into a colander placed over a bowl. Drain 5 or 10 minutes.
• Transfer eggplant to mixing bowl. Add crushed garlic and salt; mash until creamy but with a little texture, about 5 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, and cayenne pepper. Stir in yogurt.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, 3 or 4 hours. Taste to adjust seasonings. Stir in mint and parsley.

BABA GANOUY( BABA GHANOUSH/ BABA GANNOUJH )

Steps:

• First off, buy only shiny eggplants-dull ones are old.
• Cut off the stem ends of eggplants and prick them like you would a spud for baking.
• Place on the middle rack in oven and bake at 250 degrees for about 1 hour.
• They should look quite pooped out.
• Using mitts remove and cool to touch.
• Cut open and scoop out-toss the peel.
• Place in a food processor with all the ingredients except oil.
• Whirl away-until smooth.
• Taste and adjust-remember the pepper and garlic will get stronger.
• Place in a serving dish and cover with oil if not serving right away.
• Chill.

BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Prick the aubergines/eggplant seveeral times with a fork.
• EITHER: Preheat the oven to 375F/190C and roast the aubergines for 30-40 minutes until they are soft and the skin is blackened. OR: Roast the aubergines over a barbecue, turning frequently, until they are soft and the skin is charred.
• Allow the aubergines to cool.
• When cool, half the aubergines, scoop out all their flesh and discard the skins.
• Put the flesh in the food processor with the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and mint, and blitz until the mixture is puréed.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

BABA-GANOUJ ( BABA GHANOUSH / BABA GANNOUJH )

Steps:

• Wash the eggplants, and pierce the skin with a fork. Heat in a 400-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until the skin blisters, and the eggplant collapses.
• Wait for the eggplant to cool, then separate the pulp from the skin. Squeeze the pulp to remove the juice (which is bitter), and mash to break up any large pieces.
• Finely mince the garlic, and cook in a pan with a little oil until lightly browned. Mash the garlic, and stir into the eggplant. Mix in the lemon juice, salt and tahini, adjust amounts to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and minced parsley (optional).
• Refrigerate if desired, and serve with flatbread, chips, or by itself.

CLASSIC BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F. Cut each eggplant in half vertically and place on sheet pan. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes until very soft.
• Let eggplants cool before handling. Scoop eggplant flesh out of skins into bowl of a food processor. Add lemon juice, tahini, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Serve with pita bread or pita chips.

BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Prick the skin of the eggplant and roast it at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until the eggplant collapses.
• Scoop the flesh out (everything but the skin), and add it to the food processor.
• Add the other ingredients, and pulse until smooth.
• Serve in a pita, or as a dip.
• Note: this can be made without the garbanzos, but I like the flavor and texture they add.
• You can use roasted garlic for a smoother taste - just wrap a head of garlic in aluminum foil and put it in with the eggplant!