Hummus and baba ganoush

During weekends I have more time to spend to the kitchen and usually we try to cook ethnic food from other countries. Years before, we were used to cook those traditional recipes that are time consuming and that cannot be cooked during week days. Last weekend we decided to try some middle eastern cooking like Falafel accompanied with hummus and baba ganoush.

In Albania, most of the families have cooked baba ganoush ( we just don’t call it that way) and each family has its own recipe. For example my mom uses vinegar instead of lemon juice and she adds a chopped green pepper which to me is a key ingredient that adds a kick to the recipe. Anyway, today I’m going to share the classic baba ganoush recipe and maybe later I’ll share my moms recipe.

Serving: 300gr hummus dhe 300gr baba ganoush

Cooking time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

 Baba Ganoush:

• 1 kg eggplants (aubergine)
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp. tahini
• ½  tsp. cumin
• 80ml lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1  tbsp. olive oil
• 1  tbsp. parsley, chopped

Hummus:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained (reserve 150 ml from the juice)
• 150 ml chickpea juice (a.k.a aquafaba)
• 4 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
• 3 tbsp. tahini
• 2  tsp cumin
• 80 ml lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3  tbsp olive oil
• 1  tbsp. parsley, chopped for garnish
• sumac to garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 200◦ C.
2. Prick the eggplant with a fork and put them over the flame until the skin is charred. You can skip this process, but you have to increase the baking time in the oven with an additional of 15 minutes.
3. Put them in a tray and bake for 45 minutes
4. Start preparing the hummus while the eggplants are baking.
5. Take all the hummus ingredients (except chickpea juice) and put them in a mixer. Blend them well until it starts to puree.
6. While the mixer is still on, add slowly the chickpea juice until it reaches a dip-like-consistency. Add more salt or lemon juice as preferred.
7. Put aside the hummus.
8. There is no need to was the mixer because we’re going to make the baba ganoush. Take the eggplants out of the oven and let them cool completely in a strainer to remove the excess water.
9. Peal the skin from the eggplants and put them in the mixer along with all the other ingredients (except those that are needed for garnish).
10. Mix well until all the ingredients are blended.

Store leftover hummus or baba ganoush (if any) in small jars to use as dips or you can use them as sandwich spreads.