I grew up eating this with my mum’s home-made Moroccan bread, kefta (meat patties) and sometimes a few squeezes of tomato ketchup. It’s my favourite salad-dip hybrid in the entire world and one of the most iconic Moroccan dishes. Every region and family has its own way of cooking it: I like mine creamy, spicy and smoky, hence the inclusion of smoked paprika with the more traditional seasonings. Serve it with grilled meat or fish, or as a spread in a sandwich.
SERVES 4
4 tbsp olive oil
2 large aubergines (500g), peeled and chopped into 3cm chunks
4 tomatoes (400g), deseeded and chopped into 3cm chunks
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, plus extra leaves to garnish
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tbsp clear honey
1 tsp smoked paprika
¾ tsp salt, or more to taste
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste (optional)
good bread to serve optional
❤ Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and add all the ingredients except the bread, if using. Cover the pan and cook over a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally to make sure that they don’t stick to the base of the pan.
❤ Uncover the pan and crush the vegetables with a potato masher, then leave to cook for about 5 minutes over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
❤ Serve warm or cold, garnished with a sprinkling of coriander, as a side, dip or spread on good bread (try the recipe for khobz – everyday bread – in my book).
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