A smoky, silky Moroccan salad of roasted eggplant mashed with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and paprika, served warm with crusty bread.
Ingredients
-
3 large eggplants
-
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
-
4 cloves garlic, minced
-
2 tsp ground cumin
-
1 tsp sweet paprika
-
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
-
3 tbsp olive oil
-
Juice of half a lemon
-
Fresh cilantro, chopped
-
Salt to taste
Instructions
-
1
Grill whole eggplants over open flame or roast at 220C until skin is charred and flesh is completely soft throughout.
-
2
Peel away charred skin, place flesh in a colander, and let excess liquid drain for ten minutes before chopping.
-
3
Heat olive oil in a skillet, add garlic, and cook thirty seconds. Add chopped tomatoes and simmer ten minutes.
-
4
Add chopped eggplant, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Mash together and cook fifteen minutes, stirring often.
-
5
Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning. The texture should be chunky but spreadable, not completely smooth at all.
-
6
Transfer to a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter with fresh cilantro before serving warm.
Did You Know?
Zaalouk is one of seven or more small salads served simultaneously at a traditional Moroccan meal, creating a colorful mosaic on the table.