#zaalouk

Ingredients:

2 medium globe or Italian eggplants / aubergines, or 3 Japanese eggplants (900g in total)*

2 medium tomatoes, or 1/2 cup tomato sauce + 1/2 cup water

4 cloves garlic, grated or minced

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 small bouquet parsley, stems removed

1 small bouquet cilantro, stems removed

1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp sweet paprika

2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground, or 2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground (optional)

1/4 tsp cayenne or harissa powder (optional)

*This dish is commonly made with small Marrakechi eggplants (dinjal saghir mrakshi) in Morocco, but any medium-sized eggplant (not too large, tough, or watery) will do.

Instructions

1. Toast and grind whole spices, if using. You can also toast pre-ground spices for thirty seconds to a minute in a dry skillet on medium heat, agitating often to be sure they don't burn.

2. Halve the eggplants lengthwise (through the root) and char them skin-side-down on a gas stove or grill. If you have an electric or induction stove, you can broil them, skin-side-up, until their skin is black and crackling and their flesh is tender.

3. Scoop flesh out of charred eggplants and roughly chop.

3. Scoop flesh out of charred eggplants and roughly chop.

4. Halve tomatoes and grate them, discarding their skins. You may also peel tomatoes by placing them for about a minute in just-boiled water until their skins loosen, and then purée them using a blender.

5. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spices (cumin, paprika, chili or harissa, coriander, and black pepper) and bloom for about thirty seconds, until fragrant. (Adding the spices in with the oil before adding wet ingredients such as tomatoes will help you to achieve their full effect.)

6. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes until lightly golden brown.

7. Add salt, tomato purée, cilantro, and parsley and cook on medium for about five minutes, until tomato no longer smells raw.

8. Lower heat to low. Add eggplant flesh and cook for another five to ten minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

9. Add lemon juice, if desired, and serve.