Mutabal( Egg Plant Dip)

My friend Jeena Mathew will definitely laugh at me once she see’s the main ingredient of this recipe!!! I have an instant dislike always for egg plant recipes since my child hood!!! I had rejected many times her recipes even before tasting it.

In this aspect, I have a doubt? Shall we acquire a taste for a specific food? And here, my friends!!! My answer is YES!!!! (Hi Hi Hi) and now I have acquired a taste of an egg plant recipe in the form of a Syrian dish (I hope, I wouldn’t hold my nose and frowning my forehead to anymore to the usual egg plant recipes!!!!).

Ingredients

1) Eggplants /Aubergine/ Brinjal - 3 nos.
2) Garlic Cloves- 2-3 pods

3) Tahina/Tahini - 1 ½ Table spoon (Ground sesame paste) I used readymade paste from the      supermarket .

4) Yogurt – 3 Table spoon.
5) Lemon Juice – 1 table spoon
6) Olive Oil – 1 table spoon- to taste
7) Salt to taste

Method

Remove the head of the eggplants, and make 2-3 horizontal gashes with a knife on the eggplants.

Grill the egg plants for 25 mints or cook the same in microwave for few mints then roast in a skillet with out oil until the skin is almost baked. (For original taste we have to barbeque the egg plant, naturally it is not practical, so grilling will do for an extent.)

In the meantime, mix the Tahina with the lemon juice until it becomes a smooth light consistent paste.

Allow to cool the egg plant, then peel off the skin and take the soft flesh and make sure you don’t take any of the skin. Slightly roast the garlic also in a skillet for few minutes and make a paste. Then add all the ingredients in a blender or use a hand mixer to blend well to get a uniform consistency. Add salt and olive oil to taste.

Enjoy the Eggplant dip with Grilled meats &Arabic breads. You can even use the same as a spread in your sandwiches, chapatti’s etc.