Make Baba Ganoush Step-By-Step

Step 2: Assemble your ingredients:

* Eggplant
* Garlic (1 clove)
* Lemon juice
* Tahini (sesame paste -- kind of like peanut butter; made from sesame seeds)
* Salt
* Olive oil

* Optional: I like to include garbanzo beans (chick peas) for texture. These are cooked from dry; you may prefer canned.

Step 3: Cook the eggplant.

Most recipes will tell you to bake it at 375º for a half hour, then scoop out the flesh. That works great! Today, I cooked it on the stovetop. Peel the eggplant, cube it, then cook it in a little olive oil for about 12 minutes. It's a little quicker. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick.

Step 4: Make a paste puree.

While your eggplant is cooking, make a paste in your food processor. Eggplants vary quite a bit in size. My Asian eggplants are small, so I'm using smaller quantities of the paste ingredients. If you have a really big eggplant, use more.

Put 1 clove of crushed garlic, 1/4 cup or so of lemon juice, 2-3 Tablespoons of tahini, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil, and 1/4-1/2 cup of garbanzo beans into your food processor and give it a whiz.

Step 5: Add in the eggplant.

If you've baked your eggplant, let it cool enough to handle, then slice it open, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and add it to the food processor. If you've cooked it on the stovetop, then just add it in as is. Blend well.

Step 6: Enjoy!

Baba ganoush is great as a dip or spread. Pita bread is the traditional vehicle for getting all that goodness to your mouth. It's also great with corn chips, veggies, or on a cracker.

Ready for a yummy appetizer?

If you have family members who say they "don't like" vegetables, delicious Baba Ganoush dip is definitely worth a try. Here's a serving idea that features some just-picked garden tomatoes!