Muttabal

I cannot recommend enough that you make this muttabal. It is smoky, deep, delicious and brilliant.

ingredients

3 large aubergines

2 tbsp tahini

juice 1/2 lemon

handful of parsley, finely chopped

good pinch of salt

to garnish: extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds

methos

put the whole aubergines onto the live flames/ red coals of the BBQ (this can also be done on your gas hob). they will take about 20-25 minutes to pop, singe and burn and get very soft- you want them to almost collapse on themselves. once they are ready, remove from the heat and let to cool slightly.

in the meantime, mix together the tahini and lemon juice until a thick paste forms. then slowly add a teaspoon of water at a time until it is looser but still quite thick. mix in the parsley and salt.

take the burnt, cooled aubergine by the hat and peel off the burn black skin. then chop the hat of. do this to all three aubergines and and roughly cut up with a knife and fork. add the aubergines to the tahini mixture and combine well.

then scatter over the pomegranate, parsley and drizzle the oil. if you are making it ahead, cover and put it in the fridge before you garnish it and garnish just before you serve it.