Mouttabal (smoky eggplant dip)

This classic Jordanian dip, made from roasted eggplant seasoned with tahini, garlic and lemon, is usually served as an appetiser with flatbread.

This ingredient isn't exactly popular with everyone. Credit: Sharyn Cairns

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• ½ cup tahini
  
• 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1½ lemons, juiced
  
• salt, to taste
• olive oil, sumac and chopped parsley, to serve

Cooling time: 10 minutes

Instructions

Using a knife or skewer, poke some holes in the eggplants to ensure they don’t burst while cooking. 

Using a gas coo top, place eggplants directly over a medium flame and cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Allow eggplants to cool for 10-15 minutes, then peel off the charred skin and discard.

Chop the soft eggplant flesh into small pieces and place in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the tahini, yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, then combine with the eggplant and mix well.

Spread the dip on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter over a pinch of sumac and the parsley to serve.

This recipe is part of our feature The Arab cooking school keeping a grandmother’s recipes alive. Listen to the podcast here:

The author travelled to Jordan as part of The Foreign Correspondent Study Tour. Read more stories form this series.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.