Eggplant and Walnut Dip

Eggplant and Walnut Dip is both simple to prepare and versatile. Serve it as a canapé, with salad, or as a sandwich filler.

While the combination of eggplant and nuts/seeds is familiar — being Baba Ganoush, the Greek/Turkish eggplant and tahini dip — this mix is quite different. It has a nutty texture with sweet undertones provided by the combination of cinnamon and ginger. Add a drop of hot sauce for added spice.

Ingredients

Preparation: 10 mins Cook: 30-40 Serves: 1 cup

2 eggplants (approx 500gm)

150 gm (1 cup) walnuts, raw or toasted

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon*

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Hot sauce, eg Tabasco (optional)

Salt

Cracked black pepper

Parsley, chopped, (optional)

Method

HEAT the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6.

BAKE the whole eggplants until soft to the touch, about 30 minutes.

COOL, cut in half and scoop out the flesh.

MASH the eggplant or blend in a food processor.

ADD the walnuts, ginger, cinnamon and oil.

MIX all the ingredients ensuring the nuts retain some texture. (If mixing by hand, finely chop the walnuts before mixing.)

ADD the hot sauce (optional).

TASTE and add salt and pepper as necessary.

SERVE sprinkled with parsley (optional) or refrigerate for later use.

Serve

As a dip, canapé, spread on biscuit and topped with slices of tomato or roasted pepper.

As a sandwich filling

Notes

* For a more savoury taste replace the cinnamon with coriander or garam masala.