Recipe: Creamy Turkish Patlican Dip

The emperor of vegetables in Turkey is the eggplant. It's very popular with the Turkish people and is made into dips, starters and the main course, like the famous Imam Biyaldi which translates to mean 'the imam fainted'.

Patlican is a popular component of mezze and yum dip for warm pita. Mildly different from the more Middle Eastern Baba Ghanoush, Patlican may have mint and definitely parsley and is made with vinegar and tahini and lasts endlessly when stored in the fridge.

Have it as a snack with warmed pita or lavash or add it as a spread to a sandwich with grilled veggies and halloumi cheese or inside a shawarma.

Turkish Patlican Eggplant Dip

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp tahini
• Salt
• Handful fresh parsley, chopped, leaves only, not the stems

Method

• Roast the eggplant in the oven on a foil-lined tray or over the flame of a gas burner till soft.
  Cool.
  Peel.
  And mash with a fork.
• Puree the eggplant in a blender along with all the other ingredients except the parsley.
• Empty into a dip serving bowl and garnish with the parsley.
  Serve with warm pita or chips or lavash.

Note: Interesting variations of patlican can be made adding any or all of these: Pinch of chopped fresh dill, a few slices jalapeno chopped, chopped green coriander, chopped onions, pinch chopped fresh mint, pinch ground cumin seeds, a few pine nuts, a few tbsp thick yoghurt.

For a Jain take on this dip, omit the garlic paste and opt for additional spices like a pinch of the Middle Eastern sumac powder and a pinch of cumin seed powder.

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