Thursday 19 June 2014

Smoked Brinjal and Yoghurt Purée



One of the most popular Turkish meze dishes, this garlic-flavoured purée varies from house to house and from region to region. It is sometimes made with a lot of garlic, with a kick of chilli, or with the fresh taste of dill, mint or parsley. The purée is heavenly when it is freshly made, served with chunks of warm crusty bread for scooping it up.

Ingredients:
2 large plump brinjals (aubergines)
30ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
250g thick natural yoghurt – plain
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A few fresh dill fronds to garnish
Lemon wedges to serve

Method:
Put the brinjals directly on the gas flame on top of the stove, or under a grill, and turn them from time to time until the skin is charred on all sides and the flesh feels soft. Place the brinjals in a plastic bag and leave for a few minutes to soften the skin. Hold each brinjal by the stalk under cold running water and gently peel off the charred skin until you are left with just the smooth flesh. Squeeze the flesh between your hands to get rid of any excess water and place it on a chopping board.

Chop the brinjal flesh to a pulp, discarding the stalks. Put the flesh in a bowl and add 30ml oil, the lemon juice and garlic. Beat well to mix in the yoghurt and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with dill. Serve at room temperature, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

No comments:

Post a Comment