“We use aubergine (eggplant) in all manner of recipes. It is a wonderful vegetable when it’s roasted, charred, and smoky, and we all know how fantastic baba ghanouj is. This recipe works as a starter or as part of a shared table and it screams summer to my palate.” - Fadi Kattan

SERVES 4

4 large aubergines

Olive oil

95g/⅓ cup tahinia

4 garlic cloves

Juice of 2 lemons

2 chillies, finely chopped

½ tsp fine salt

6 tbsp water

1 bunch dill, fronds coarsely chopped and stems discarded

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, coarsely chopped

1 tsp nigella seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Rub the aubergines with the olive oil and place them in a roasting pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes so they cook evenly.

Meanwhile, prepare the tahinia sauce. Combine the tahinia, 2½ tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 of the garlic cloves, the lemon juice, chillies, and salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add the water slowly and continue mixing until the sauce is smooth.

Place the aubergines on a serving dish, and press down so the skin cracks. Drizzle on the tahinia sauce, and sprinkle the dill, parsley, nigella seeds and coriander seeds on top. Then sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds and the pine nuts.

Thinly slice the remaining 2 garlic cloves. Heat a little oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until golden, 2 minutes. Drizzle the oil with the garlic on top, and serve.

Read our Bethlehem, A Celebration of Palestinian Food review here

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