foolproofliving

0 To cook eggplants for baba ganoush, you have three options:a. Roast whole eggplants in the oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a fork, poke 7-10 ¾-inch holes throughout each eggplant. Place eggplants on the sheet pan on a single layer and roast them for 50-60 minutes, turning them every 20 minutes until they burst, collapsed, and softened.b. Roast eggplants on the gas stove: Line the base of a gas range with aluminum foil, making sure to keep the burners exposed. Turn the burners on medium -heat and place eggplants directly on an open flame. You can put 2 eggplants on the larger burners and 1 on the smaller ones. Roast eggplants for about 15-20 minutes (depending on their size), turning every 5 minutes or so using a pair of tongs, being careful not to burn yourself. You will know that it is fully roasted when the skin is burnt and flaky and the flesh is soft.c. Grill eggplants: Preheat a gas grill (or a charcoal grill) to medium heat. Place eggplants directly on the grill and cook, turning every 10 minutes or so for 40-50 minutes or until charred on all sides and fully tender.
4 Let the now-cooked eggplant cool down. Meanwhile, place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and set it aside.
5 When cool enough to handle, working on one eggplant at a time, slit open each eggplant lengthwise and carefully scoop the eggplant flesh removing as much of the skin as possible.
6 Transfer the eggplant flesh into the fine mesh strainer. Using the back of a spoon, gently press to remove as much of the liquid as much as possible. Let it drain while you are working on the rest of the ingredients. In the end, you should have about 17 ounces (~480 gr.) of eggplant flesh.
7 Transfer the eggplant to a medium bowl. Add minced garlic and lemon juice. Using a fork, give it a mix while breaking the large chunks of eggplant flesh until fully combined.
8 While stirring constantly, pour in the tahini, followed by olive oil, in a steady stream. Mix until fully combined.*
9 Add salt, ground cumin, and paprika (if using.). Taste for seasoning and add in more seasoning and/or lemon juice if you want.
10 Transfer baba ganoush to a serving bowl, garnish with fresh parsley and pomegranate seeds if desired.
11 If preferred, drizzle it with olive oil and serve with pita chips on the side.