Babaganoush Soup, Zhoug Drizzle
The rise of humous led to the dawn of babaganoush. What was once confined to the mysterious, impenetrable walls of Middle Eastern eateries has taken Central London by storm. Expect to slurp up 20 quids worth of the stuff thanks to the viral sensation that has become babaganoush.
Perhaps it’s name is one of the reason it feels more exotic than it’s venerable chickpea friend, and why more people are willing to fork out a loan for a dish that is basically just an aubergine with some sesame paste. Babaganoush translates to pampered daddy: slick Soho joints may succeed in the illusion of pampering, but really they leave us all feeling like a misused, lonely old man with a bit on the side he can’t afford.
I wanted to try my hand at babaganoush for this very reason. If you have a gas stove or BBQ then you should too (sadly, induction hob users, electricity doesn’t have quite the same touch).***
***the oven is a good substitute. Whack under the grill on the highest heat possible and cook for around 30 mins, until the skin is blistered and cracked
I adapted the traditional babaganoush recipe by adding stock - it’s very similar to the dip, except smoother, lighter, and perfect with a sharp, herby relish such as zoug.
Zoug is a Jewish condiment, known for its sharp, fiery properties. You may have unwittingly eaten it tossed over a falafel or spooned over shawarma. If you don’t have the effort for this next step then feel free to skip - the rich soup does need a slight tang to finish it, so consider a swirl of yoghurt and a touch of tabasco for some balanced acidity.
If you have the patience to slowly tend to an aubergine over open flames, it’s worth it. And, what with the average Londoner having to queue 10 minutes a day just to buy a sandwich, I’m sure you do.
Ingredients - soup
3 aubergines
1 onions (diced)
Tbsp ground cumin
6 cloves garlic (diced)
3 large tomatoes (roughly chopped)
Tomato purée
350ml veg/chicken stock
2 tsp sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Ingredients - zhoug drizzle
A large handful of fresh coriander
A smaller amount of fresh parsley
Two small green chillies (roughly chopped)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of sugar
1 garlic clove (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
Method
For the soup, begin by softening your onion over a low heat so it has the maximum amount of time to caramelise and naturally sweeten up.
Meanwhile, start chatting your aubergines. Using tongs, hold your aubergine over a high naked flame and leave it there until the skin blisters. Turn appropriately until all of the surface has received a good cracking. This feels fiddly at first, but with some careful manoeuvring you’ll get the gist of it. Transfer into a bowl to cool and repeat with the remaining aubergines.
Once your onions are softened, add in your ground cumin and a squirt of tomato purée. Stir and leave to cook for 1 minute. Add in the remaining soup ingredients and cook over a medium low heat with the lid covered. Salt to taste.
Grab your aubergines and remove the hard, blackened skin. The inside of the aubergine should be soft and slippery. Add into your soup mix and leave to cook whilst you make your zhoug.
For the zhoug, simply add all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz to a chunky paste.
To finish, blitz your soup until smooth and top with the zoug.
Don’t worry if you have heaps of zhoug leftover - it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 weeks and is a perfect accompaniment for meats and pulses.
