Mutabal - Eggplant-based Middle Eastern dip with Tahini
5 from 1 vote
Mutabal is a popular dish native to the Middle East with eggplant as the base.It is a simple but very tasty dip or appetizer, perfect with warm pita or pita bread, fresh vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers and sweet peppers. It also makes a great addition to grilled or barbecued kebabs, and can also be used as a sauce for meat or poultry.For those looking for something special, you can try using mutabal as a sandwich filling or in combination with other mezze such as hummus or tabbouleh.
Pierce the eggplants and roast on the stovetop grill for 15 minutes, turning, until soft and charred. Alternatively, bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 200°C. Transfer the eggplants to a bowl, cover with foil, and let "steam" for 10-15 minutes.
Grind the whole cumin in a mortar or coffee mill. Remove the skin from the cooled eggplant, cut off the stems and cut into 4-5 pieces.
Put the eggplant flesh into a blender. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon, add garlic, ground cumin, olive oil, tahini and salt.
In a blender, chop all ingredients several times until smooth. Taste for flavor, add salt or lemon juice if desired.
Transfer the mutabal to a platter, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sumac. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator.