If you like baba ganoush you’ll love this Persian eggplant dip with yogurt.
This summer I’ve been spending time in Ontario but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been traveling to far off places, at least in spirit.
Without a doubt my favourite aspect of Toronto is its diversity.
The city isn’t perfect but there’s an openness to learning about other cultures that makes it an amazing place to live.
The Aga Khan Museum opened in 2014 with the intention to “offer unique insights and new perspectives into Islamic civilizations and the cultural threads that weave through history binding us all together.”
I think we can all agree more of these museums are needed.
We need to remember we’re more similar than different.
Diwan Restaurant
Inside the museum the Diwan restaurant continues this spirit. Food is inspired by the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
The dining room is an exhibit in itself. A 19th-century Syrian home inspires the decor.
The walls are decorated with gorgeous wood panels that were hand carved and painted in Damascus in 1799.
The menu developed by celebrity Chef Mark McEwan, the menu ranges from familiar dishes like the chicken shawarma salad to more traditional food.
So when Diwan invited me to try their new lunch menu on the patio I also invited Charlene from Chew Street.
She had just interviewed Chef McEwan and discovered he though sumac was the most underrated spice and would appreciate the menu.
I’m sure the chicken shawarma salad is fantastic.
However, we wanted to try new food like borani bademjan – Persian eggplant and yogurt dip.
A Light Healthy Dip
There are so many Persian recipes that use eggplant or bademjan and this isn’t the only dip.
The key is in the ingredients, charring the eggplant for flavour and using a great yogurt.
This Persian eggplant dip is light and healthy dip.
The vibrant yellow colour comes from tumeric but many recipes call for saffron, which is significantly more expensive.
But it’s also a very mild dip.
There aren’t strong spices and the flavours come from the charred eggplant and caramelized onion.
ALSO READ: Nowruz Food – Persian New Year Food You Cannot Miss
Persian yogurt is thick and a bit sour.
If you don’t have a middle eastern shop close to buy Turkish or Persian yogurt look for plain whole fat yogurt or Greek yogurt.
Do not use low fat yogurt as it will be runny.
Persian Eggplant Dip – Borani Bademjan
I’m not going to lie. I’d love to throw some red chilis in this to give spice to balance the cool yogurt.
I also think crushed pistachios on top would be a nice textural addition.
Also pomegranate seeds would be nice to complement the sweetness of the caramelized onion.
Serve this Persian eggplant dip with naan, pita bread, chips or fresh vegetables.
Persian Eggplant Dip Recipe Modifications
You can add a cup of crushed tomatoes to this recipe to create borani bademjan ba ghojeh faranghi.
If you’re vegan simply add a bit more eggplant to replace the yogurt.
Persian Eggplant Dip - Borani Bademjan
If you like baba ganoush you’ll love this Persian eggplant dip with yogurt.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 cups whole plain yogurt
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1/2 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 teaspoon tumeric
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Rub 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over eggplant and roast for one hour. Put in paper bag and let cool. Remove skin and seeds. Let remaining eggplant sit in a colander to remove excess liquid, press gently if needed.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion until they begin to soften and reduce heat to medium-low and add tumeric to caramelize for 20 minutes. In last minute of cooking add garlic. Set aside. Keep a bit of onion mixture in a separate bowl for garnishing.
- Mix eggplant with onion/garlic mixture, yogurt, mint, dill and lemon juice. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- If you're eating immediately, garnish with caramelized onions. Or make the night ahead and garnish just before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 80mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 5gNutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
You can find this dish and more at the Aga Khan Museum
Pin it: Eggplant Dip With Yogurt
77 Wynford Drive
North York, ON
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Want more easy dip recipes from around the world? Check out
Turkish Cacik – Cucumber Yogurt Dip
I love eggplant dips in any shape or form. This one looks really delicious and the addition of mint is intriguing. I’ve never tried eggplant and mint together
I love baba ganoush so I know I’d love this! I made some baba ganoush just a couple of weeks ago and I even said to hubby last night that I have to make again soon cause it was so good! I’ll have to give this recipe a try next time. It looks super good!! Love the fresh dill in there 🙂
I have never tried this dip but I am totally adding it to my list of ‘Must try soon!’
A beautiful recipe from a fantastic and underappreciated food culture. I’m always so happy to see more inventive eggplant dishes. The museum sounds wonderful (I actually noticed it on Google Maps the other day while I was researching a trip to Toronto) and that restaurant really does look beautiful. It’s funny, I’ve dabbled in Middle Eastern cooking quite a bit over the years, and yet I still feel like I have yet to really dive in. I’m not sure why that is though, as everything is just so good. Perhaps it’s time I did a bit of travelling-in-spirit myself! Cheers.
YAAAAS. I’m a huge fan of eggplant dips so I’mma have to try this!