Moroccan · Appetizer

Smoked Aubergine Dip

In the Rif mountains around Chefchaouen, aubergines are often charred directly over an open flame until the flesh turns smoky and soft, then mashed simply with garlic, lemon and olive oil for a dip that leans on fire rather than heavy spicing.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Serves: 6
Level: Easy

Ingredients

2 large aubergines
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil, plus more to finish
1/2 tsp cumin
Small bunch parsley, chopped
Salt

Method

1

Char the aubergines

Prick the aubergines a few times and char them directly over an open flame, on a barbecue, or under a very hot grill, turning often, until the skin is blackened and blistered and the flesh completely soft, 20–25 minutes.
2

Scoop the flesh

Let the aubergines cool enough to handle, then halve and scoop out the smoky flesh, discarding the charred skin, and drain briefly in a sieve to remove excess liquid.
3

Mash

Mash the flesh with the garlic, lemon juice, cumin and a pinch of salt.
4

Finish

Stir in most of the olive oil and parsley.
5

Serve

Spread onto a plate, drizzle with a little more olive oil, scatter with the remaining parsley, and serve with bread.

Chef's tips

Char the aubergine properly, until the skin is fully blackened and the flesh has completely collapsed, for the deepest smoky flavour.
Draining the scooped flesh briefly prevents a watery, loose dip.
This dip is deliberately simpler and smokier than zaalouk, letting the charred aubergine flavour lead rather than a tomato sauce.

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from zaalouk?

Zaalouk simmers aubergine with a garlicky tomato sauce; this dip skips the tomato entirely and relies on directly charring the aubergine over flame for its main flavour, closer in spirit to baba ganoush.

Can this be made without an open flame?

Yes, roasting the whole aubergines at a high oven temperature, 220°C, for about 40 minutes works, though the smokiness will be milder than direct flame charring.