It would have been nice to make this dish for some Passover meal, but that sesame is, for some obscure reason, officially kitnyot. So I made it for Shabbat. I watched chef Sufyan make it and while his is much prettier, I think I achieved almost the same taste.
Eggplant with Techina
serves 2-4 as an appetizer
Ingredients:
1 large or two medium eggplants
1/4 lemon to squeeze
cumin
salt & pepper
1 Tblsp. silan date syrup, or more if needed
2 Tblsp. techina per eggplant if medium-sized; 4 Tblsp. if large
Method:
Start by charring the eggplant. I’ve made this dish grilling the eggplant in the oven, but the charred taste is essential to the authentic taste. True, it’s a bit messy, but all good things emerge from a mess.
Use a tongs to turn the eggplant this way and that.
Make sure to char the eggplant all over, including the ends. Press a little with the tongs or a fork – when the whole vegetable yields softly, it is ready.
Remove the eggplants to a cool plate and get a small bowl of water ready. When the veg is just cool enough to handle by its cap end, wet your fingers and pick off the charred peel. (Couldn’t take a photo of myself doing that.)
Lay the eggplant down again and press a fork through the flesh, make striations along its length. This allows the vegetable to receive the flavorings, and looks pretty.
Squeeze some lemon juice over the surface.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over it.
Drizzle it up and down its length with techinah.
Last step, drizzle it with date syrup, or lacking that, honey diluted with water. You want only a little sweetness. Drizzle from side to side, or diagonally, so that it makes a pretty pattern.
Eat while its still warm, if possible. Delicious.
Sooo yummy! I have done that with tehina, but never thought of adding silan to it. Next time I will….
Yaelian,
Just that little drizzle makes an intriguing contrast to the lemon and techinah – layers of flavor.
My husband makes this practically every Shabbat. Goes over big time with guests, and it actually takes very little effort to make. When we go out to eat we are in shock over the NIS 40 menu price at some restaurants!
looks great.
have to remember that the burnt stuff has to scraped with a knife and not washed.otherwise the smoky taste will be gone.
great posts u have!
Thank you, Recipe man!
Maybe I wasn’t clear about how to remove the charred peel. You dip your fingers into water and just pick the peel off. Easy, not messy, and the flesh of the eggplant isn’t washed.
[...] a few meditations on wasting food, avoiding the urge to overeat, the metaphysics of matzah. My own Eggplant and Techinah recipe is there [...]
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