Mtabbal

Mtabbal is the silkier, more intensely smoky cousin of baba ghanoush — a staple across Lebanon and the broader Levant. Where baba ghanoush is often mixed with tomato and onion, mtabbal is purer: roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, and garlic, finished with a drizzle of rich olive oil and pomegranate seeds. It is essential mezze, always on the table at Lebanese dinner parties.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants (aubergines), about 800g (1¾ lb) total
• 3 tbsp (45ml) tahini
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced to a paste with a pinch of salt
• ¼ tsp (1g) ground cumin
• Salt to taste

To Serve

• 2 tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp (20g) pomegranate seeds
• 1 tbsp (4g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• ¼ tsp (1g) smoked paprika or Aleppo pepper
• Warm flatbread or crudités

Instructions

1. Char the eggplants directly over an open gas flame or under the highest setting of a broiler/grill, turning with tongs every 3–4 minutes for 15–20 minutes total until the skin is completely blackened and collapsed and the interior is perfectly soft. The more char, the more smoke.
2. Transfer to a colander and allow to cool 15 minutes. Peel off and discard all the charred skin. For maximum smokiness, leave a few flecks of charred flesh.
3. Let the peeled eggplant drain in the colander for another 10 minutes to remove excess liquid — this prevents a watery dip.
4. Finely chop the eggplant flesh by hand (do not use a blender — it kills the texture) or mash with a fork for a rustic result.
5. Mix in tahini, lemon juice, garlic paste, and cumin. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, and garlic. The dip should be smoky, creamy, and distinctly tangy.
6. Spread into a shallow serving dish, creating swirls with the back of a spoon. Drizzle generously with olive oil, scatter pomegranate seeds and parsley, and dust lightly with smoked paprika.

Cook's Notes: Charring over real charcoal gives a depth of smoke no other method matches. Mtabbal can be refrigerated for 2 days but should return to room temperature before serving and be re-seasoned, as cold dulls the flavours. Never use a blender — the hand-mashed texture is what sets Lebanese mtabbal apart.