Make Mutabal (Moutabel, Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Dip) using my easy traditional recipe. This creamy dip is a wonderful way to use brinjal, a vegetable that not many people like. Here is how to make it.
Wash a large eggplant with water and pat it dry using paper towels or a kitchen cloth.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Make incisions all over the eggplant using a sharp knife to prevent it from bursting during roasting.
Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast it in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
Remove the eggplant from the oven and let it cool slightly.
Over Direct Flame
Wash a large eggplant with water and pat it dry using paper towels or a kitchen cloth.
Make incisions all over the eggplant using a sharp knife to prevent it from bursting during roasting.
Hold the eggplant (with the stalk) over the open flame, positioning it about 2-3 inches above the burner. You can keep it over a metal rack as I did.
Rotate the eggplant occasionally to ensure even charring.
As the eggplant roasts, the skin will start to char and blister. Continue rotating it until the entire skin is blackened and the flesh inside feels soft and collapses when gently squeezed. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant.
Once roasted, carefully transfer the eggplant to a cutting board or a plate and let it cool for a few minutes until it’s comfortable to handle.
Make The Mutabal
Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin and discard it. You should be left with the soft flesh.
Chop the flesh into small pieces and discard the stalk.
Add the flesh along with onions, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, salt, and olive oil, to a blender or a food processor and just blend to make a smooth dip.
Check for salt and lemon juice and add more if needed.
Transfer the Mutabal to a serving dish. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley and pomegranate seeds, if desired, for garnish.
Serve with warm pita bread or as part of a mezze platter. Enjoy!
Some people like their Mutabal coarse. In that case, you can just blend the ingredients a few times to make a coarse dip.You can skip adding tahini, but I highly recommend adding it as it gives a nice nutty flavor to the dip.Roasting the eggplant on direct flame makes the mutabal smoky. But you can also roast it in the oven as well.