Vegan Turkish Smoky Eggplant Salad

Ingredients

• 3 eggplant
• 2 garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tomato, diced
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Method

1. 1.

   Prick and grill the eggplants — Prick the eggplants a few times with a fork so they don't burst, then place them directly over a hot grill or open flame.

2. 2.

   Char the eggplants until soft — Grill the eggplants for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skin is completely charred and blistered and the flesh is soft all the way through.

3. 3.

   Scoop and drain the flesh — Let the eggplants cool for about 10 minutes until safe to handle, then split them open, scoop out the smoky flesh, and drain it in a colander for a few minutes to remove excess liquid.

4. 4.

   Make the smoky eggplant dip — Chop the drained eggplant flesh finely with a knife, then transfer to a bowl and whisk in the crushed garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin and chili flakes until creamy and well combined.

5. 5.

   Plate and garnish the dip — Season with salt and black pepper, spread onto a serving plate, and top with the diced tomato, red onion and parsley. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve with flatbread.