Moutabal

Method

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1. Prick each aubergine a few times with a knife and set them directly over a gas flame, on a barbecue, or under a very hot grill.

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2. Turn every few minutes for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins are completely blackened and the aubergines have collapsed and feel weightless.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

3. Put them in a bowl, cover, and leave 10 minutes — the steam loosens the skins.

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4. Peel off the charred skin, taking care not to lose the smoky flesh clinging to it. Do not rinse them, which would wash the smoke away.

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5. Put the flesh in a sieve over a bowl and leave 20 minutes to drain. Discard the liquid.

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6. Chop the drained flesh on a board with a knife rather than blitzing it — moutabal should have some texture.

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7. Beat in the tahini, lemon juice, garlic paste, yoghurt if using, and salt.

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8. Taste and adjust: it should be smoky first, then sharp, then nutty.

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9. Spread on a plate with the back of a spoon, pour olive oil into the hollows, and finish with pomegranate, sumac and parsley.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Open flame or nothing. An oven gives you sweet purée, not moutabal.
• Drain the flesh for twenty minutes. It is what concentrates the flavour.
• Chop by hand. A processor makes it gluey.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Warm flatbread
• A meze spread
• An arak

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days under a film of olive oil. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.