Baba Ganoush & Mutabbal (2 Roasted eggplant dip)
Mutabbal – Roasted eggplant dip with smoky eggplants and tahini. Baba Ganoush – Roasted eggplant dip without tahini. Both very different, but both delicious!
Mutabal vs Baba ghanoush
Every Middle eastern/Mediterranean restaurant has Baba Ganoush on their menu but have you heard of mutabbal/moutabal? It’s rarely on any menus BUT that’s exactly what we have been eating all along in the name of baba ganoush! Confused? In the Levant region (which includes Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey) where both these dips originated, the roasted eggplant dip with added tahini(sesame paste) is called mutabal/moutabal and NOT baba ganoush 🙂
So then what really is Baba Ganoush?
Baba ganoush is an eggplant dip made with roasted eggplants, onions, garlic, tomatoes, pomegranate molasses, walnuts but NO tahini.
Somehow, outside of the Levant region, the distinction fades and the names baba ganoush and moutabal are used interchangeably. Not trying to say it is a big deal, but being a food nerd, I find cultural aspects of food very fascinating, so I HAD to put the information out there! 🙂
In this post, I have included recipes for both mutabbal AND baba ganoush along with notes mentioning different variations of the dish, so try them and decide what YOU like the best! I add a few NOT SO TRADITIONAL ingredients into my moutabbal because I absolutely love it that way. Try it out for yourself and see if you like this version better than the restaurants!
There are quite a few regional variations of both these dips and I have tried to list them under the section ‘Regional Variations‘. Do check that out as well! If you know of any more regional variations of these two dips, do let me know in the comments!
Key Ingredients
Eggplant
Choose the bigger variety of eggplants as they are easy to roast. If you know how to choose ones with lesser seeds, this would be the best time to use that knowledge and to also let me know how it’s done 🙂
Tahini
Tahini is white sesame seed paste. Choose a good quality tahini that isn’t very bitter.
SUBSTITUTION – You could also make your own tahini by blending sesame seeds until they turn into a smooth paste and release oil. When making small quantities of tahini at home, depending on the blender, oil may need to be added to make it blend.
Pomegranate molasses
Pomegranate molasses is sour with hints of sweetness and a rich molasses flavour. It is a syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice and has some added sugar.
SUBSTITUTION – I have made this dip plenty of times without pomegranate molasses.
- For sweetness- Substitute it with jaggery which is an unrefined Indian sugar with a rich molasses flavour. You could also use brown sugar or any kind of raw, unrefined sugar with a molasses-y taste.
- For sourness – Add an extra squeeze of lemon or a dash of tamarind.
Also do check out the ‘regional variations’ below for versions without pomegranate molasses.
Regional Variations
Mutabal
- In Syria, along with tahini, yogurt is added to Moutabal. Equal amounts of tahini and yogurt can be added. Tastes amazing!
- Cumin powder, Aleppo pepper powder/paprika, sumac can be used as a garnish.
Baba Ganoush (Different regional names exist)
- Some regions simply do not add pomegranate molasses in baba ganoush and only use lemon juice for acidity. This is a good option if pomegranate molasses is hard to find.
- Chopped peppers like red bell peppers(capsicums) can be added.
- Some regions roast red bell peppers and tomatoes before adding them into baba ganoush.
Useful Tips
- Roasting eggplants over direct flame gives the most smoky flavour.
- Roughly chop roasted eggplants using a knife, instead of a food processor. The seeds can break down in the food processor and impart an unpleasant taste.
- Mash garlic into a smooth paste. Biting on raw pieces of garlic can be unpleasant. Add some salt over the garlic and mash it smooth!
- Don’t substitute lemons with limes! Lemon is definitely the way to go here!
Storage and Serving
Baba ganoush and moutabal are served at room temperature or chilled. Serve it with roti, pita, crackers or vegetables. Can also be used in wraps and buddha bowls. Need falafel and a sauce for the wraps and bowls? Check out authentic falafel recipe and my 5 ingredient yogurt sauce recipe to complete your wraps and bowls!
Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Any leftover roasted eggplant can also be frozen for later use.
Baba Ganoush & Mutabbal (Roasted eggplant dip)
Ingredients
For mutabbal/moutabal (Roasted eggplant dip with tahini)
- 1 large eggplant/aubergine/brinjal about 500 grams
- 1½ tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 2 tbsp roasted walnuts
- 1 tsp jaggery or any unrefined sugar with a molasses-y taste
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses optional
- 1½ tbsp yogurt optional
For Baba Ganoush (Roasted eggplant dip without tahini)
- 1 large eggplant about 500grams
- ¾ tbsp pomegranate molasses check notes for substitutions
- 2 tbsp walnuts crushed/chopped
- 2 tbsp onions chopped
- ¼ cup tomatoes chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Roasting eggplant
- Roast eggplant directly over a gas range or on a grill/coal or broil in the oven at 450F/230C for 40 minutes until the insides are cooked through and very soft. Roasting over a direct flame or over coal gives the most smoky flavor as the skin gets charred.
- Transfer eggplant to a bowl and cover it and let it cool down for at least half an hour.
- After half an hour, remove eggplant onto the chopping board. Discard the liquid collected in the bowl.
- Remove the skin from the eggplant and discard.
- If the eggplant has many clusters of seeds, remove and discard them as they can leave a tingling sensation on tongue in some people. P.S- There is no need to remove all the seeds, remove the big clusters.
- Using a knife, finely mince the eggplant. NOTE: 1 eggplant of about 500 grams yields approximately 1 cup of minced roasted eggplant.
Preparing mutabbal
- Dry roast the walnuts.
- De-skin the garlic, add salt on it and crush garlic into a smooth paste (to avoid biting on raw pieces of garlic).
- Add the crushed garlic paste, tahini, lemon juice, crushed walnuts, jaggery, pomegranate molasses into the mashed eggplant and mix well till the mixture turns silky.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, add olive oil on top. Optionally, aleppo pepper, sumac, cumin powder can be added on top as a garnish.
- Serve with pita, crackers, roti or vegetables.
Preparing baba ganoush
- Crush garlic into a smooth paste to avoid biting on raw garlic.
- In a bowl, add minced roasted eggplant, chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, crushed walnuts, garlic paste, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and salt.
- Mix everything very well with a spoon or fork.
- Adjust seasonings to your liking and serve as a dip with pita.
Video
Notes
- Outside of the Levant region, where both these dips originated, moutabal(dip with tahini) is often called baba ganoush.
- Adjust the quantity of tahini, salt, sweetener and lemon juice to suit your taste buds.
- To make a classic mutabbal, skip adding pomegranate molasses, walnuts and jaggery.
- It is important to use lemon for the best flavor, do not substitute with lime.
- Tahini – make your own by lightly toasting tahini and blending it till it turns to a paste and releases oils. Depending on the blender, you may need to add some oil to help with the blending.
- Pomegranate molasses – for sweetness, add molasses or an unrefined sugar with a molasses-y flavour. For the acidity, add an extra squeeze of lemon or tamarind extract.
- In Syria, yogurt is added to Moutabal. Equal amounts of tahini and yogurt can be added. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Cumin powder, Aleppo pepper powder/paprika, sumac can be used as a garnish.
- Some regions simply do not add pomegranate molasses in baba ganoush and only use lemon juice for acidity. This is a good option if pomegranate molasses is hard to find.
- Chopped peppers like red bell peppers(capsicums) can be added.
- Some regions roast red bell peppers and tomatoes before adding them into baba ganoush.
Did you try this recipe?
Do leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you liked it! I would love to see the photos too! Tag me on social media!
Thank you so much for stopping by! It really means a lot to me!
Don’t you think this dish is something like our own baingan ka bharta??
Yes!! It is very similar to our badnekai gojju, especially Baba ganoush. Pomegranate molasses tastes like a combination of Tamarind and jaggery. Mutabal tastes a little different as it has the added sesame paste.