Zaalouk

Zaalouk (Moroccan eggplant and tomato salad) 

Serves 2-3
This Moroccan eggplant and tomato salad is really a spicy, tangy dip generally served along-side crusty bread in every Moroccan home. Although many cooks prefer to boil their eggplant for this recipe, I go for the not-so-traditional quick, oven-roast (or grilling on hot coals) to get the best out of this dish. The light char of broiled eggplant caviar, mixed with juicy, fresh summer tomatoes, and spices takes this already amazing dish to a whole new level. Finish it off with a touch of zingy lemon juice and some freshly chopped parsley and coriander, and you, my friend, are hooked for life! Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients
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750g purple eggplant
4 tablespoons Papa’s Grove extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
500g fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped (if possible, peel tomatoes prior to chopping)
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon sea-salt, or to taste ​
1-2 teaspoons paprika
good pinch of ground chili pepper, to taste ​
1 teaspoon ground cumin
bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped 
bunch of coriander, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
​handful of quality black olives and/or pomegranate pearls, for garnish

Recipe
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1Pre-heat your oven to 220ºC. Halve the eggplant lengthways and brush eggplant flesh sparingly with olive oil and roast skin side down, for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove tray from the oven, cover with a tea-towel for 15-20 minutes until cool, then scrape eggplant flesh using a spoon and place in a bowl. Discard skins and mash eggplant flesh using a fork; set aside.

If using an open flame or barbecue, poke a few slits all over the eggplant with a pairing knife. Place eggplants on an open flame or on your barbecue grill, turning every few seconds, until charred all over. It will take a good 15-20 minutes to char the eggplant skin all over and for the flesh to soften. Once done, cover with a tea towel for 15-20 minutes until cool, then scrape eggplant flesh using a spoon and place in a bowl. Discard skins and mash eggplant flesh using a fork; set aside.

2Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, add garlic and fry for a few minutes until fragrant. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt; stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

3Add mashed eggplant followed by paprika, ground chili, cumin, chopped parsley and coriander - stir well and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste and add a tablespoon of lemon juice; stir.

4To serve, spread flat on a plate and garnish with black olives and pomegranate pearls. Serve with warm, toasted pitas or any other bread of your choice.

Note: It is best to make Zaalouk several hours in advance so that the flavors have time to mingle.

​Zaalouk made with eggplant roasted on a hot coal barbecue adds another level of deliciousness to this already fabulous dip. Often, I even char my tomatoes at the same time as my eggplant, then peel and mash them together before adding them to the pan.
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