Mutabbal Batinjan

Ingredients

• 3 large aubergines (about 1.2kg total)
• 90g light tahini
• 60ml lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100g thick Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1 tbsp chopped mint
• Pinch of Aleppo pepper

Before you cook

• Peel the garlic cloves and crush them to a paste with a pinch of the salt.
• Pierce each aubergine two or three times with the tip of a knife so steam can escape.
• Line the area around your hob or grill with foil, because charring aubergines makes a mess.

Steps

1. Set the aubergines directly onto a gas burner over a high flame, or onto hot barbecue coals.
2. Turn the aubergines every few minutes with tongs until the skin is blistered and black all over and the flesh has slumped completely, which takes about fifteen to twenty minutes.
3. Check they are done by pressing one with the tongs; it should offer no resistance and feel like a deflated balloon.
4. Put the charred aubergines in a colander set over a bowl and leave them for fifteen minutes so the bitter juices drain away.
5. Slit each aubergine open and scoop the soft flesh away from the skin with a spoon, leaving behind any stubborn black flakes.
6. Chop the flesh roughly on a board, then mash it in a bowl with a fork until it is stringy and rough rather than smooth.
7. Stir in the garlic paste, tahini and lemon juice, and beat hard with the fork for a minute so the tahini seizes then loosens.
8. Fold in the yoghurt and the remaining salt.
9. Taste and add more lemon juice if the dip tastes heavy rather than bright.
10. Spread the mutabbal on a plate, drizzle over the olive oil, and finish with the pomegranate seeds, mint and a pinch of Aleppo pepper.