Mutabal and baba ghanoush are the staple Middle Eastern dips together with Hummus. Mutabal is sometimes called baba ghanoush interchangeably as both dips feature a smoky, charred aubergine puree as a base. There is a slight difference between them though. The former has tahina, yoghurt, garlic and parsley, the latter has no tahina but includes tomatoes, onions, parsley and sometimes pomegranate seeds and walnuts as a garnish. Both are delicious, I prefer the creamy mutabal.

If you do not have a gas hob, you can char the aubergine whole on a barbecue or under the grill or cut in half lengthwise skin side up. Make sure that you get the skin really charred.

Method:

• Wash the aubergines and prick them all over with a fork. This will stop them from bursting while being charred or grilled.
• Chargrill the skin of the whole aubergine directly on the fire of the hob keep turning them until the skin turns black on all sides.
• You can do this under the grill too - it will take a little longer about 40 minutes.
• Allow to cool sufficiently to peel off the skin and top and tail it. The inside should be quite soft.
• Place on a plate and mash with fork until smooth. If you prefer a very creamy texture, you can use a food processor to do this.
• Put all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar with a screw top. Close and shake the jar to emulsify.
• Arrange the aubergine on a serving dish. Pour the dressing all over and mix into a smooth consistency.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley or mint and toasted pine nuts (if using).

Recipe extracted from: From the Tigris to the Thames: Flavours of a Journey (Green Bean Books)