Egypt: Making Baba Ghanouj on the Nile

I’ve taken cooking classes all over, from a small kitchen in Florence that I couldn’t find again on a bet, to an industrial-sized multi-station kitchen in a local high school. But this was the first class I’ve ever taken floating down the Nile. Or is it up? So confused.

Anyway, Chef Fathy Hassan whipped up three dishes lickity split before our very eyes and said, “Yeah, sure [crazy girl]!” when asked if I could share the “Babaghanoug Salad” on my blog. Like every great chef, he omitted an ingredient or two, which I, with my keen eye (and empty stomach) caught during the demonstration.

This is Egyptian food at its finest, most authentic and fragrant – the green garlic that spit and spat in the skillet gave this dip a me-want-more flavor. Serve with pita chips.

Fathy Hassan’s Babaghanoug Salad

Babaghanoug:
1.5 kg eggplants
500g onions
200g tahini paste
2 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. garlic, chopped
5g cumin, ground
5g red chili

Garnishes:
Olive oil
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Roast the eggplant and onion in a 180° C oven (that’s about 350° to us Fahrenheit folks) for 35-45 minutes, until soft.
2. Once the vegetables have cooled, peel away the skins under running water.
3. Chop the eggplant and onions, then mash together with the remaining ingredients (you could use a fork or a potato masher for this).
4. Garnish with a splash of olive oil, a sprinkling of parsley and a dash each pepper and salt.