Grilled Eggplant with Tahini Sauce

This side dish is one that I can’t imagine how I ever lived without. It’s easy to make and delicious. It’s not necessary to have a “but”. It seems like the simple things are the best.

The eggplant is traditionally grilled over an open flame, then cut open and covered in a delicious, lemony, garlicky tahini dressing. Actually, I believe the eggplant’s flavor is more pronounced when it is cooked in a conventional manner.

Many people don’t have a stovetop that has an open flame. It makes such a mess that it’s not worth it. Dry-grilling the eggplant in a skillet on the stovetop yielded almost the same results. If you aren’t afraid of making a mess or have an outdoor grill, you can roast the eggplant on the fire. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, roast the eggplant over the fire.

Grilled Eggplant With Tahini

Grilled Eggplant With Tahini

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Ingredients

• 1 eggplant (Choose an eggplant that feels lighter than they appear.)
• 1/2 cup raw tahini
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Water

Instructions

1. First, wash and dry the eggplant. Then, place it in a pan over medium-low heat until it is dry.
2. Leave it be. After some time, you'll observe that it will begin to appear "bruised"--it will turn a rusty brown color starting from the bottom and gradually making its way up.
3. When the entire top of the eggplant (the side not touching the pan) has become brown (about 20 minutes), turn it over.
4. Place the eggplant in a pan with enough water to cover it by about an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Place the pan on a burner or directly over a high heat source and cook until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
5. You can make the tahini salad while the eggplant cooks. For the salad, mix minced garlic, lemon juice, and pulp in a jar
6. Add the tahini and shake well (with the lid tightly!) until thoroughly combined.
7. Start by adding a little water and vigorously shaking until the desired consistency is obtained.
8. It's time to harvest your eggplant after it has completely deflated, burned, and shredded.
9. Use a knife to cut along the stem of the eggplant, training halfway into the eggplant.
10. After that, cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, creating two “boat”-shaped halves.
11. Make a crisscross design on the fleshy surface of the bigger one (typically the one with the stem still attached).
12. Take the “meat” of the other half, right on top of the half you just cut, and scoop it out. The skin can be composted or saved for vegetable stock.
13. Pour the eggplant tahini salad into a slightly deep dish so the tahini doesn't drip out. Sprinkle ground cumin on top.
14. It’s all set! If you want to get fancy, grab some honey, date honey, or pomegranate syrup and use it to make a zigzag design on top of the tahini.
15. Use the tip of a knife to lightly drag syrup in opposing directions, back and forth, to create a decorative pattern.

Notes

If you use a thicker syrup, your end product will look better

If you want to make this dish ahead of time, wait until right before serving to add the tahini, since it will dry out along the edges and won’t look very appealing

Tahini Sauce: Useful Tips

Tahini sauce ingredients can be modified to suit any meal. You will need the following ingredients to make tahini.

• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• Three cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for a delicious taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Juice one lemon (approximately two tablespoons).
• Two tablespoons of white vinegar or rice vinegar
• One tablespoon honey
• Three tablespoons of water

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat to make the tahini. Cook the garlic, ginger and salt until fragrant. Continue to cook for one minute more. The mixture should be strained into a small bowl after it has been removed from the heat. Mix together the lemon juice, rice vinegar, honey and water in a separate bowl until well combined. Mix the mixture with the garlic mixture in a skillet. Cook for 2 minutes. Serve warm on toast, or as a side dish.

Conclusion

Tahini sauce can be used to enhance the flavor and texture of grilled eggplant dishes. You can make your own tahini sauce and modify the recipe to make it as delicious or as simple as you like. Tahini sauce can also be made easily – simply combine tahini, water, olive oil, and salt until you reach the desired consistency. Tahini sauce can be used alone or in combination with other dishes to add luxury and flavor to your meal.