Moroccan Zaalouk
A cooked Moroccan salad of charred eggplant and tomato, simmered with garlic, cumin, paprika and olive oil until thick enough to scoop with bread. Served warm, at room temperature or cold.
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 2 medium eggplants (about 700 g / 1½ lb total)
Tomato base
- 4 ripe medium tomatoes (about 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz), halved and grated, skins discarded
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil, plus extra to finish
- 1½ tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin, plus a pinch to finish
- ¼ tsp cayenne or hot paprika (optional)
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp tomato paste (only if your tomatoes are pale)
To finish
- 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley (10 g / ⅓ oz), chopped
- 1 small handful cilantro (10 g / ⅓ oz), chopped
- 1–2 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar (optional)
- Bread (khobz or any crusty loaf), for serving
Instructions
- Prick each eggplant 4–5 times with a knife. Char directly over a gas flame or on a grill, turning with tongs every 4–5 minutes, for 15–20 minutes until the skin is black and blistered all over and the flesh collapses. Or broil on a foil-lined tray 10 cm (4 in) from the heat for 30–35 minutes, turning every 8–10 minutes.
- Put the eggplants in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave 10 minutes to steam. Split them open, scoop the flesh away from the skin with a spoon, and leave it in a sieve for 5 minutes to drain the bitter juice. Chop the flesh roughly.
- In a wide pan over medium heat, combine the grated tomato, garlic, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cayenne (if using), salt and tomato paste (if using). Simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the tomato loses its raw smell and reduces to a thick sauce.
- Add the chopped eggplant and half the herbs. Mash everything together with a fork or potato masher, right in the pan.
- Cook 12–15 minutes more over medium-low heat, stirring and mashing often, until the mixture is thick, the liquid has gone, and the oil starts to pool at the edges.
- Off the heat, stir in the remaining herbs and the lemon juice or vinegar (if using). Taste and adjust salt.
- Spread on a plate, drizzle with olive oil and dust with a pinch of cumin. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled, with bread.
Notes
- Stovetop-only version (common in Moroccan homes): peel the eggplant in stripes, cut into 2 cm cubes, and simmer with the tomatoes, garlic, spices and 120 ml (½ cup) water, covered, for 20 minutes. Then uncover, mash and cook down as in step 5. Less smoky, still very good.
- Keeps 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. The flavour improves after a night. Do not freeze; the texture turns watery.