- Daphne @ Savvy Pantry
Moroccan eggplant dip (Zaalouk)

Serves 6 (makes about 3 cups)
It’s a dip! It’s a spread! It’s a heavenly vegetarian side-dish!
Tangy, packed with flavour and super-healthy to boot, if you like eggplant you’ll love this unique and versatile dish. The possibilities are endless. Here’s how we love to use it:
Spread on focaccia and bake until hot
Serve (hot or cold) with toasted pita wedges
Use cold as a spread in a sandwich (with hummus and watercress.. yum!)
In a pita wrap with falafel, along with vegan aioli and/or hummus
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp Savvy Pantry Moroccan Spice seasoning mix
1 large eggplant
2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed then diced (you can leave the seeds in, but the final spread will have a lot of seeds in it, and it will also need to be boiled down a bit because there is more water)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
PREPARATION :
Wash and peel the skin off of half of the eggplant (this gives a softer consistency to the dish and enables you to mash the eggplants more easily), then cut the eggplant in small cubes.
In a medium sized pan, heat the olive oil and add all the ingredients except the cilantro and the salt.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the eggplant is very soft, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the vegetables don't stick to the pan.
Mash the vegetables with a potato masher. If you’d like a thicker spread, cook uncovered for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the desired consistency is reached.
Stir in chopped cilantro, and add salt and/or more lemon juice, to taste