Instructions

• Burn the eggplant by placing directly on your burners (if you have a gas stove). Line the bottom of the stovetop first (foil around the burners) to make cleanup easy. Over a moderate fire, roast the eggplant(s) for 12-15 minutes, turning frequently, until flesh is soft and smoky and the skin is burned all over. Don’t let it catch fire. If you have an electric stove, pierce the eggplant with a sharp knife in a few places. Put it on a foil-lined try and place directly under a hot broiler for 1 hour, turning it a few times. The eggplant should deflate, and its skin should burn and break.
• When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a colander, tossing out the blackened skin, and let drain for at least 30 minutes.
• Chop the eggplant flesh roughly and put in a medium mixing bowl. Add the tahini, water, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and some s&p. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. I find this often needs more garlic, salt, pom molasses and/or lemon juice. You want it to have a robust sour/slightly sweet flavor.
• If you want to add diced cucumbers and chopped tomatoes, stir them in.
• To serve, drizzle a bit of EVOO on top, maybe some more molasses and if you have pom seeds, sprinkle them on as well. Great with pita, feta, Moroccan carrot salad and so forth!