Mutabbal (Eggplant Salad)

There are a variety of eggplant salads in Palestinian cuisine, but this is one which you will find in every restaurant as part of the traditional "Meza".

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 1 Mutabbal

Ingredients

• 2  large eggplants
• 2  garlic cloves
• 2  tablespoons tahini
• 4  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1⁄2 green chili pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1  tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Remove the head of the eggplants, and make two horizontal incisions with the knife on each side of the eggplant.
2. Place the eggplants under the grill for 30 minutes, until the skin is almost burnt. In the meantime, mix the two tablespoons of Tehina with the lemon juice until it becomes a smooth light beige uniform paste.
3. Remove the eggplants, and place them on a plate.
4. Bring a deep dish and open up the eggplants.
5. Start removing the inside of the eggplants and placing it in the deep dish. Make sure you don't take any of the skin.
6. The insides of the eggplant will be slightly watery, so mix it with a fork which would at the same time cut it into smaller pieces, almost a paste though not uniform in any way.
7. Add the Tehina paste and mix well with the fork.
8. Crush the garlic cloves with the chili pepper and add to the mixture.
9. Mix well. Add salt and olive oil to taste.