Aubergine Dip with Red Pepper (Zaalouk)
Aubergine, red pepper and tomatoes are gently cooked in spices to make this flavourful Moroccan dip. Enjoy as a side dish with some crusty bread.
Introduction
Zaalouk is the simple but utterly delicious way Moroccans transform the humble aubergine. It is one of many ‘cooked salads’ in the Moroccan repertoire, often served as a dip to kick off a meal. The aubergine can be baked, steamed, deep-fried or simply cooked on the stovetop, as in this recipe. Here it is simmered with tomatoes, spices and herbs, giving it an aromatic kick and an irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture; for this version, I’ve included red peppers, which add subtle sweetness. My favourite way to enjoy zaalouk when I was a child was spread on a split crusty baguette that my mum would fill with kefta meatballs and ketchup. Today I swap harissa for the ketchup and add labneh (a thick strained Middle Eastern yogurt), but that sandwich is still one of my favourite ways to eat zaalouk.
Ingredients
| 3 tbsp (45ml) | olive oil, plus more for drizzling |
| 2 medium | Italian aubergines or 2 small globe aubergines (about 680g), chopped into 2.5cm chunks (not peeled) |
| 2 medium | red peppers (280g), cored, deseeded and cut into 1cm pieces |
| 4 medium | tomatoes (400g), halved and grated on the large holes of a box grater, or finely chopped, with their juices (alternatively, use a 400g can of chopped tomatoes) |
| 2 tbsp | finely chopped coriander leaves and tenderstems, plus a handful of roughly chopped coriander to garnish |
| 1 tbsp | tomato purée |
| 1 tsp | honey, or more to taste |
| 3 | garlic cloves, minced or crushed |
| 2 tsp | sweet paprika |
| 1 1/2 tsp | ground cumin |
| 1 tsp | fine sea salt, or more to taste |
| Fresh lemon juice (optional) |
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Add the aubergine, red peppers, tomatoes, coriander, tomato purée, honey, garlic, paprika, cumin and salt. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally to make sure the vegetables don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, for about 25 minutes, or until they are soft.
Remove the lid and crush the vegetables with a potato masher or the back of a large wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid in the pan has evaporated, 5–8 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more honey and/or salt, or a little lemon juice, if desired.
Serve the zaalouk warm or at room temperature, garnished with chopped coriander and a drizzle of olive oil. The zaalouk can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
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