635.Baba Ganoush

GUEST NO.8 ON THE BLOG

    My 8th Guest on the blog is Mehwaesh Islam. Now you may be wondering how did an Islam enter the Patel family. Let me clear up the air for you. Mehwaesh is originally from Bangladesh, married to my best friend Daxa's son. Daxa and family are more like family than friends to me.Paras, her son is like my son. So technically that makes Mehwaesh my daughter in law. I first met Mehwaesh during their wedding in Bangladesh. At first sight she appeared to me as a very sophisticated lady. On getting to know her, she is a very intelligent, caring, quiet and a friendly person. I had the opportunity to lunch with them at their quaint little home in London. From her little little kitchen she was able to put out quite a fare from chaat as a starter to egg biryani and sabji followed by dessert. What I loved about her cooking was that little Bangladeshi touch and flavour to most of her dishes. As I follow them on social media both husband and wife team practically every weekend introduce me to new cuisine, new street food, new open air markets and exciting places to visit. Both are foodies and I'm sure that when I next visit them, there will be new dishes for me to sample.

    Mehwaesh works in science policy. Give her a book and she's the happiest girl on earth. Her other hobbies are watching Turkish dramas, knitting, cooking and travelling. 

Over to Mehwaesh:
     Huge thanks to Mayuri Aunty for inviting me to post a recipe on her blog.I have know Mayuri Aunty since my marriage to Paras, she was one of the very few people who made it all the way to Bangaldesh for our wedding. Paras always raves so much about her food. Paras spent a lot of his childhood at Mayuri Aunty's house so he knew very well the extent of her culinary skills.

   When my parents visited Kenya for the first time, Mayuri Aunty cooked up a lovely feast for us. I knew then that all f Paras' raving was well substantianted. It was a Friday lunchtime meal cooked in Mombasa's sweltering March heat. When we turned up at her apartment, the whole place had a lovely aroma of home cooked food. My parents thoroughly enjoyed their meal and continue to appreciate her kind gesture.
 

    P and I have recently returned from a fabulous trip to Jordan where we got to sample some splendid Levantine cuisine. One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the ancient city of Petra, one of the new seven wonders of the world!

   On our first night in the rose-red city, we made our way to Petra Kitchen, a local initiative where we joined two other couples (Austrian and American) to cook and share a Jordanian feast under the guidance of Chef Tareq. We chopped, diced, and assembled a selection of hot and cold mezzes, salads, soup and a main course. We mopped up the meal with the most deliciously soft, warm bread.

   With our bellies full, we headed out to experience Petra by Night - a magical candle lit walk to the fabled Treasury (Al-Khazneh). The sight is as every bit awe-inspiring as you might expect! We sat under the stars on blankets spread on the ground, sipping hot cups of mint tea, and listening to a Bedouin's flute song. 

   Here's the baba ghanoush recipe we learnt at Petra Kitchen that I have since recreated in my kitchen in London. In Arabic, baba can mean father or daddy, and ghanoush can mean spoilt or pampered. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the dish was named “perhaps with reference to its supposed invention by a member of a royal harem.” The pampered daddy may have been a sultan.

BABA GANOUSH

2 lb aubergines

1 green pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tbsp mint chopped

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 large tomato

1 medium onion

Salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

1. Score the aubergines with a knife in a few places and roast under a hot grill for an hour until the skin is charred.

2. Leave to cool slightly, then scoop out the pulp and drain in a colander.

3. Mash the pulp into chunky pieces. Add olive oil and lemon juice.

4. Chop the onion, tomato and pepper, and add them to the aubergine purée. Add in the crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and the pomegranate molasses.

5. Mix well, adjust the seasoning (if needed), and sprinkle the chopped herbs over the top. 

Tips:

• Use baba ganoush as a dip with cut vegetables, toasted pita wedges, chips or any thing you like.
• Use it as a spread in sandwiches.
• Use it over your salad or serve as a sauce with pasta or couscous. 
• Eggplants can be roasted over a flame or on a your BBQ stove. The best ones are those roasted over charcoal fire.

You may want to check out what other guests had prepared:

Dried Grapes Achaar Pickle

Chinese Cauliflower Rice

Eggless Upside Down Pineapple Cake