Smoky Charred Eggplant Dip with Tahini and Lemon

What you need

• 2 large eggplants, about 1 kg (2 lb) in total
• 3 tbsp tahini, well stirred
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• pita bread, warm, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Pierce the skin of each eggplant in several places with a fork so steam can escape.

2. 2

   Char them directly over a gas flame or under a very hot grill, turning every few minutes, until the skin is black and blistered and the eggplants collapse, 15-20 min.

3. 3

   If there is no gas flame or grill, roast them whole on a tray at 200 °C (400 °F) instead, until completely soft, 40-50 min. The flavour will be less smoky.

4. 4

   Put the eggplants in a bowl, cover and leave for 10 min to steam and cool.

5. 5

   Split them open, scoop out the soft flesh and discard the skin and stems.

6. 6

   Drain the flesh in a sieve for 10 min to get rid of the bitter juices.

7. 7

   Chop the flesh on a board with a knife until it is a coarse purée.

8. 8

   Crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt.

9. 9

   Stir the tahini, garlic and lemon juice into the eggplant. Season with salt and add more lemon if it tastes flat.

10. 10

    Spread in a shallow dish, make a hollow in the middle with the back of a spoon, pour in the olive oil and scatter the parsley over.

11. 11

    Serve at room temperature with pita.

Imported from archanaskitchen.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.