Burnt Eggplant and Bell Pepper Dip Recipe

Eggplant is one in all my favourite greens attributable to its silky texture and its potential to tackle smoky flavors with ease. It’s each my go-to vegetable after I’m cooking a particular meal for visitors and in addition a dinnertime staple that I make at the least as soon as every week. 

Eggplant is a well-liked vegetable all through Asia and the Center East: Not solely are they utilized in primary programs like stuffed eggplants and bhaingan bharta (roasted eggplant with tomatoes and onions), they’re typically used to arrange appetizers and dips like baba ganoush and pakoras. Eggplants are sometimes described as meaty in texture, however I hate describing greens by way of meat so I want to think about them as full-bodied. Though they’re generally described as bitter-tasting, most plant breeders through the years have chosen varieties which have little to no detectable bitterness in them. Fortunately for us, meaning we are able to spend much less time worrying about making an attempt to rid them of bitterness and extra time determining what flavors we wish to infuse them with—as a result of eggplant sucks up flavors with ease.

One taste that is notably well-matched with eggplant is smoke, which is developed by high-heat strategies like charring, grilling, or roasting. Of these choices, roasting is arguably one of many best: The excessive warmth helps the sugars caramelize and in addition helps the amino acids and sugars take part within the Maillard response. The results of these two meals reactions builds bittersweet flavors and a smoky profile.

I like so as to add cumin and coriander seeds to the greens throughout roasting, which permits the spices to toast and launch their flavors straight into the greens whereas eliminating the additional step of toasting the spices individually. As soon as the greens are calmly charred, they carry a beautiful smoky taste. I then take away them from the oven and allow them to relaxation till they’re cool sufficient to deal with. 

So as to add physique to this dip, I flip to crimson lentils and cashews. This recipe makes use of crimson lentils however different choices like black lentils and break up pigeon peas may also work right here. As soon as the lentils are tender and cooked, it is necessary to empty them straight away. If left to sit down within the water too lengthy, the lentils run the chance of changing into mushy. As for the cashews, I soak entire roasted and salted cashews in boiling water to melt them, which makes it simpler for them to interrupt down throughout mixing. 

Whereas this dip will be made in a blender, a meals processor presents higher management of the ultimate texture with much less threat of over-pureeing. The dip shouldn’t be completely clean however as an alternative resemble a rough paste, which will be achieved by pulsing the processor briefly intervals for a number of seconds at a time till the paste comes collectively. 

This dip is a party-pleaser that each vegetarians, vegans, and meat eaters will love. It goes properly with any form of heat flatbread, buttered slices of crusty toasted sourdough, and I daresay a beautiful unfold inside sandwiches too.