Smoky aubergine and sweet tomato taken to another flavour level with: pungent garlic, earthy cumin, fruity extra virgin olive oil and fresh parsley leaves.
This little dip definitely packs a flavour punch! it’s one of my favourite side dishes to serve during Summer, warm or cold.
My 5 year old and I love scooping this salad / dip with some baguette bread.
It goes well alongside grilled meats and is addictive as its ‘cousin’ Baba Ganoush.
Grilled aubergine is roughly mashed together with fresh tomato while cooking with garlic, salt, cumin and a little oil.
This mashing with a wooden spoon helps the tomato to release its juice and the flavours to blend together.
Texture wise, Zaalouk is not ultra-smooth and I like that.
My recipe is enough to serve 2 when serving along with other sides, or serves 1 if it’s your only side.
Double, triple or quadruple the recipe to feed a crowd.
Zaalouk – Cooked Aubergine Tomato Salad / Dip
North African cooked aubergine tomato salad / dip
Ingredients
- 1 medium aubergine
- 1 medium ripe tomato, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, to taste
- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- A few flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Grill aubergine on stovetop over high flame turning often, until all the skin has charred. This should take 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly before removing the skin.
- Finely chop aubergine, place in a saucepan over low-medium heat with tomato, garlic, SF oil, salt and cumin. While cooking, stir and mash the tomato together with the aubergine until the tomato releases its juice and then reduces/thickens.
- Plate up, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle parsley leaves on top. Eat warm or cold with your favourite bread.
