Babaganoush, the recipe of the aubergine hummus from Middle East

Babaganoush, this stranger with a funny name who comes from the Middle East.
At least until they present it to you, surrounded by so many crudités, pita bread and prosecco wine. This is how a stranger turned into a great friendship: a glass in your hand, good music in your ears and healthy laughter on your lips. Moreover, it happens for the best things.

I love the aubergine babaganoush very much, so much so that I am sure you will do too. I’ll introduce you: it also responds to the name of eggplant hummus, it is fun and it generates smiles.
Recalls a bit the hummus as it is intended for use, in fact you can dip vegetables in it, croutons or – oh yes – even your finger.
Brash and sensual.
It remembers faraway places, which smell of spices and breathtaking sunsets and will make you look great with all your friends – with the fan of ethnic cuisine in particular.

Here are the beautiful things that eggplant can do for your body.

THE BENEFICIAL PROPERTIES OF MELANZANA (AND THEREFORE ALSO OF BABAGANOUSH)

• Send help during the summer. When the heat is hot, the spotted armpit shows itself. With perspiration, minerals, especially potassium, are lost. And the aubergines are very rich in potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
• An unexpected booster of antioxidants and vitamins: vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin J.
• The abs thanks. Show off your favorite crop top because apparently the eggplant is a forerunner to a flat stomach. Rich in water and, for this reason, purifying, and also useful in the event of fluid retention. Few calories and many fibers make it a valid ally in slimming diet regimes and in the fight against constipation.
• Say bye to cholesterol. Eggplants stimulate the production of bile and help keep blood cholesterol levels under control by cleaning the arteries.

Imagine the face of the first human being who ate it. Like mine after being forced to taste my grandmother’s stewed tripe. I don’t think he was really happy to bite this big purple and spongy “berry”.
Who knows how many attempts before discovering that such a bad raw ingredient once cooked turns into an extremely delicious and versatile one. Whatever happened between man and eggplant, it was worth it.

Babaganoush – the recipe of the aubergine hummus

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 friends)

• a large eggplant (approximately 400 g)
• 30 g of tahin (a sesame cream, you can find it in the most supplied supermarkets and in every organic shop)
• the juice of half a lemon
• half a clove of garlic
• salt and extra virgin olive oil q.s.
• fresh mint, black pepper, smoked paprika (or, if you don’t have it, sweet one) q.s.

How to make the aubergine babaganoush

PROCESS

1. Wash the eggplant. Prick its surface with the tines of a fork and place it on a baking tray.
2. Bake in the oven at 180° C for about an hour, turning it a couple of times so that it cooks evenly. The “withered” appearance and the soft consistency will denote perfect cooking.
3. Let the aubergine to cool (in other words, avoid burns); eliminate the green stalk and the peel – which will be removed from the pulp in no time. I do not eliminate it entirely, I leave 1/4 because I find that it gives the babaganoush a touch of smoked and vaguely amarotic.
4. Now mix together the tahin, oil and lemon to create an emulsion.
5. Pour it into a mixer and blend together with the aubergine and mint. Finally add the pepper, paprika and salt.
6. Serve the eggplant babaganoush in a bowl with a drizzle of oil, a few sesame seeds and a pinch of parika.

Aubergine babaganoush is ready to brighten up your taste buds and those of your friends.