Right about now(or in the near future!) you probably have a ton of eggplants ready to go from your garden. What to do with them? Roasted eggplant can be tasty, but it’s not my favorite. The only eggplant dish that I absolutely LOVE is Baba Ghanouj.

If you’re not familiar with this dish, it’s a slightly sweet, smoky, really tasty dip made from eggplant which originates from Middle Eastern countries.

So, how to make really delicious Baba Ghanouj? Well, if you’ve never had it before, then your first step is to taste Baba Ghanouj as made by someone who knows what they’re doing. Head to your local middle eastern restaurant to get an idea for the flavor you’re going for!

Then get yourself these ingredients:

1-2 Large Eggplants or Several Small Eggplants
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 TBSP Tahini
1-2 Garlic cloves (minced)
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-3 TBSP Olive Oil

First, pierce the skin of your eggplants a few times with a fork or knife.

Preferably, you want to cook the eggplants with fire, but if you don’t have a grill or a gas stove to work with, you can bake them in a very hot oven(350 – 400 degrees farenheit) for 30 minutes to an hour. You won’t get that smoky flavor that fire instills in the eggplants, but it will still taste fine.

If possible, use a grill and cook your eggplants directly over the flame, turning occasionally, until the outside is completely blackened and the inside is very soft. This should take between 30 minutes and one hour. If you’re using a gas stove, roast the eggplants directly over the burner.

Allow the eggplants to cool slightly. When you are able to handle them, remove the skins and place eggplants in a blender. Blend the eggplants until smooth. Alternatively, if you are lacking a blender you can mash them by hand with a fork or other mashing utensil.

I don’t generally measure the ingredients for dishes like this. The above measurements are suggestions and are intended to be experimented with. Use them as a guideline but don’t be afraid to add more or less of any ingredient until the flavor is satisfactory to you.

Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and salt & pepper and mix well. If the flavor does not taste quite right to you, add more of any ingredient you think is lacking in small increments.

Pour in olive oil and stir. Serve with pita bread or fresh veggies for dipping, or use as a spread on sandwiches.