Eggplant Extravaganza! Week #46

This week on Week #46 and next week's #47 I am combining 2 dishes with one main ingredient: Eggplant. The prepping for these dishes are almost the same, so it makes sense to make an appetizer and a main dish with Eggplant. I have to be honest, it isnt one of my favorite vegetables. Eggplant is one of those things, you either love it or hate it. But both these dishes have found a way into my kitchen and my palate.... so its that good :)
The process is slightly long, but well worth it.

The 2 dishes I am making are Baba Ganouj and Baingan Bharta. Baba Ganouj is a popular Middle Eastern dip that has some sesame paste called Tahini in it while the Bahrta is a sumptous and very earthy side dish from the North India. Baba Ganouj is something I just experimented and there are many many versions of this dish. The Bhartha recipe with follow this one!
Prepping :

The most important part in these dishes is the roasting and broiling the eggplants. Those who have gas can keep the gas on low to medium flame and roast their eggplants till the skin is scarred and its cooked through and through on the inside. This might take about 30=40 minutes and is fairly laborious as you have to keep an eye on it the whole time. Since I dont have a gas stove, I broil the eggplants in the oven for about 30 minutes, but I keep turning them every 7-8 minutes till they r slightly burnt on the outside. Then I cut the eggplants halfwise and bake them for about 1 hr in 400F oven. These times may vary depending ont he size of the egplants. In India, they tend to be smaller and cook faster. Here it US, they are fairly big, so it takes time. One thing abt eggplant is, they hae to be super well done. After they have cooled, scrape the flesh away from the skins and set aside.

Baba Ganouj :
Ingredients :
Lemon juice- 1/4 cup
salt and pepper to taste-
minced garlic- 1 teaspoon
tahini-1.5 teaspoons
parsley- minced 1 tablespoon
paprika and cumin powder- 1 teaspoon each
Extra Virgin Olive oil- 1/2 cup

Using a hand blender- mush up the eggplant pulp, add the rest fo the ingedients except the Olive oil and paprika. Keeping a fork in hand, add the Olive Oil and keep mixing. Top it with Paprika and enjoy with Pita bread or pita chips!