This eggplant spread can be used as a dip with vegetables or bread or as a condiment for grilled meats or falafel.
My barbecue game is pretty basic. It's technically grilling, in fact, as I'm happy to leave the low-and-slow, serious barbecuing to others. As far as grilling goes, I do have one trademark: eggplant, turned into a savoury, garlicky, gently spiced, slightly-sweet spread.
The eggplant isn't to eat on grilling day, but for the day after. We have a charcoal grill, so once the meal is cooked and the coals are mere embers, in goes a fat eggplant or two. Then the lid goes on, and I walk away. I might return once to flip the roasting beauties over, but for the most part the eggplant is left alone while the day's meal is served, while I feel thoroughly efficient for having made full use of the fire. By the time the dishes are cleared, the eggplant will have deflated, with shattered black skin and shining, voluptuous flesh within.
That flesh gets turned into mutabal, eggplant caviar, Persian mirza ghassemi (with tomatoes, eggs and walnuts) or an Indian baingan bharta (with ginger and coriander). Better yet, I pick and choose from each of those recipes to make a simple yet thoroughly effective eggplant spread that can be used as a dip with vegetables, a condiment for grilled meats or falafel, or simply smeared on naan. Be generous with the garnishes, have some feta and a plate of olives nearby, and – ta-da! – snacks for the night are sorted.
Where I live, eggplant season lines up perfectly with the time that the cilantro in my yard is in between harvests. It might have bolted, producing my favourite shape of cilantro leaf – when it goes all spindly and wispy, looking more like dill than it does itself. If you catch the plant in flower, the little blossoms are edible too, though they add more prettiness than presence.
Now, if the plant has fully gone to seed, those are brilliant in salads, dressings and salsas when they're tender and bright green (they can also be pickled). They taste sharply vegetal, with a mellow earthiness underneath, like leaf and seed in one.
Those little things are so unexpectedly good, I'll often snatch them from the plants and munch them straight. Here, they add textural contrast against the silky, smoky spread, a flourish from the August garden.
Servings: 6
Ready Time: 45 minutes
Charred Eggplant Spread
1 tbsp olive oil or ghee, plus extra
2 large globe eggplants
Sea salt, as needed
2 yellow onions, cut in half lengthways then across into thin moons
4 garlic cloves, minced
A small bunch fresh cilantro, leaves picked and tender stems minced
1 green chili, seeded and minced
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp thick full-fat yogurt
Juice of half a lemon
Garnishes such as crisp fried onions, toasted cumin and coriander seeds, cracked green coriander seeds, toasted almonds, za’atar, vadouvan, chili powder or dried red pepper flakes.
Method
Rub a bit of ghee or olive oil on the skin of the eggplants. Pierce them in a few places. Build a hot fire on a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high. Grill the eggplants, turning and shuffling periodically until each side is blackened, and the flesh starts to collapse, around 25 to 35 minutes. Fair warning, the skin may split. In that case, use a spatula instead of tongs to move them around. Once cooked, transfer the eggplant to a bowl.
When cool enough to handle, slit the skin of the eggplants skins with the tip of a knife (if not split already). Scrape the flesh into a fine mesh strainer, and season lightly with salt. Set aside over a bowl or sink while you get on with the onions.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp ghee or oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add in the onions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, then tumble in the garlic and cilantro stems (set the leaves aside for later). Season with a good pinch of salt and continue to cook until the onions are soft but without colour, for 10 minutes more. Tip in the minced chili and ground coriander, give a few stirs, then pull off the heat.
With the back of a spoon, gently press any remaining moisture out of the eggplant. Scrape the flesh into the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade attached. Add the onions, yogurt and lemon juice, then purée until smooth. Check for seasoning, adding more yogurt, lemon or salt as needed.
Transfer to a bowl, garnish with reserved cilantro leaves and any extras you’d like. Serve with grilled naan or pita.
Note: The eggplant needs to be as dry as possible for a thicker spread. If concerned, cook the flesh with the onion until dry (this will change the colour) or add some cooked chickpeas to the processor until the desired consistency is reached. For a richer spread, replace the yogurt with the same amount of natural cashew butter.