*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                   BABAGANOUSH (MY DOCTORED VERSION)

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 3    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Ethnic

 Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2       tb           Olive oil
  2                    Onions (chopped)
  2                    Stalks of celery
                       -chopped (optional)
    1/2                Red sweet pepper chopped,
                       -for color
  1                    Eggplant (cubed
                       -about 3/4 inch)
  2                    Cloves of garlic,
                       -chopped or mashed
    1/2   ts           Ground cumin plus
                       -1 pinch whole
    1/2   ts           Ground coriander
    1/4   ts           Ground pepper
    1/4   ts           Crushed dried chili pepper
                       Salt (to taste)
  1       tb           Tahini *
                       Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
                       -(to taste) or lime
                       Handful of parsley or
                       -cilantro
                       -and/or scallion ends or
                       -chives
                       Black olives,
                       Parsley sprigs
                       -and a lemon slice to
                       -decorate

   * Sesame paste. I've heard of substituting peanut
 butter, but never tried it.
   The variable amounts of ingredients depend on your
 taste and on the size of the eggplant. Try it without
 celery and red pepper and then you can decide if you
 want to use it next time.
  Saute onions, (celery & red pepper) till starting to
 brown (I do in a wok). Add eggplant and garlic, stir
 well, add spices (not the salt), stir again and on
 very low fire, saute. May drop some liquid, that's all
 right, let it evaporate, and saute slowly until
 everything is very tender. Keep checking, it's better
 if it browns a little, but needs stirring so it
 doesn't burn. If it's too dry, add a few TBs liquid at
 a time (I use vegetable broth, liquid from steaming
 veggies, or liquid from microwaving mushrooms, etc.
 but water would probably do). Add salt, tahini and
 lemon juice, pulse a few seconds at a time in food
 processor or mash with potato masher -- can be
 slightly lumpy, too smooth is pretty awful. Add green
 stuff, pulse once or twice to chop coarsely and
 distribute or chop coarsely and stir in.
  It's an ugly color, so I try to dress it up with a
 lemon slice, greens and black olives, seems to help.
 Serve with quarters of pita bread or mini pitas, it's
 finger food, a great appetizer with a curry meal



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