Delightfully smokey aubergine dip
Serves 4
Preparation time: 40 mins
Smokey aubergines with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses.
Ingredients
4 large aubergines
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic cloves
3 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (optional but highly recommended!)
Handful of parsley, chopped
Olive oil
Method
Prick the aubergines all over with a fork (this keeps them from exploding!) The best way to cook them is over a hot barbecue or on the flame of a gas stove hob to give the dip its distinctive smokey flavour. Cook until the aubergines are soft and their skin charred. You can also cook them on an aluminium covered tray in an oven preheated to 240C until they’re soft. Remove the aubergines from the grill or oven and place them in a strainer. They will lose some of their water as they cool down.
Once the aubergines are cool enough, peel them and place them in a bowl. I find the easiest way to do it is by cutting off the head, slicing the aubergines in half and using a spoon to scoop out the flesh (see photo). Throw out the skin and mash the aubergine pulp using a fork with a little of the lemon juice to help them keep their pale colour.
Mix in the other ingredients except the olive oil and leaving some of the parsley to sprinkle on top. Adjust the seasoning to your taste by adding a little salt or lemon juice. Drizzle the dip with olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped parsley just before serving.
