Who doesn’t love a good baba?
We could ramble on for a very long time about why this Middle Eastern staple is so good, but straight talking chef Matty Matheson has pretty much nailed it.
“It makes anything taste good. You could serve that on top of a f---ing shoe,” he says in his new show, It’s Suppertime, as he whips up a batch (catch the ep Friday, February 9, 6.35pm on SBS VICELAND, and then on ). “I love baba ganoush.”
His tips: Buy firm eggplants, with tight skin and no bruises; grill or roast until the skin is “nice and burnt”; and save the liquid that forms when you’re letting the charred eggplants steam and cool to add to the dip.
His sits at the chunkier end of the spectrum, but if you like a creamy, well-pureed version, we’ve got you covered, too. Here are seven eggplant dips that we reckon would pass the shoe challenge.
Matty Matheson makes a "chunky and chopped" style of baba. Source: VICELAND / It's Suppertime
Our , Matthew Evans, uses a double-tap approach, charring his eggplants over a gas flame, then finishing them in the oven. It makes for deeper flavour in this baba, which he serves with haloumi. We repeat, baba with haloumi. Get at it, people.
Haloumi with baba ganoush and pomegranate dressing Source: Alan Benson
This chunky version, from Abu Dhabi, adds chopped tomato and capsicum to the smoky eggplant.
Source: Chris Chen
Here's one for all you smooth operators, a creamy Lebanese take from the Food Safari archives.
Source: Food Safari
Spiced with chilli, coriander and garam masala, this eggplant dip hails from England.
Source: Feast Magazine / Armelle Habib
This one is clearly not baba ganoush, but it is definitely a shoe-level take on the eggplant dip! Made with smoky roasted eggplant and salty goat’s cheese, this dip is combined using knives to cut through the ingredients, maintaining texture.
Source: Luke Nguyen's France
Finally, here's Matty's take on this Middle Eastern treasure. Pile it on fresh pita. Not a shoe.
Source: VICELAND / It's Suppertime
Eggplant dip obsession continues here...
Sultan’s delight (hünkar beğendi)
