Baba Ghanouj

Ingredients

1 Large fancy eggplant 
4 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste or sauce available in international stores)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
2 Tablespoons water
1 Minced garlic (optional)

Garnish

1 1/2Tablespoons olive oil
½ Teaspoon paprika or red pepper
3 Green olives cut into half (optional)
Few pieces of red or green bell pepper (optional)

Line a large pizza plate or cookie sheet with aluminum paper.

Wash and dry the eggplant. Make holes in the eggplant near the stem and four other places with a sharp knife so that when the eggplant is baking in the broiler it will not burst. Smear half-teaspoon oil all around the eggplant. Place the eggplant on the middle of the prepared pizza plate. Lift the corners of the aluminum paper a little so that the liquid from the eggplant do not spill all over the stove. 
Turn the broiler on and place the pizza plate with eggplant on the middle rack. Broil the eggplant for seven minutes. Turn the eggplant carefully to the other side and broil for seven more minutes. Turn the broiler off and remove the plate from the oven. Cut the eggplant into two halves from stem to the bottom and let it cool.
Scoop the pulp into a strainer to remove the liquid. Discard the skin and liquid. Place the pulp into a glass bowl and mash it with a spoon. Add tahini, lemon juice, salt, water and garlic (if using) until smooth. Place this Baba Ghanouj into a serving plate and swirl around with a spoon. Pour olive oil in the swirl and garnish.
Tastes great with pita chips, bagel chips or any chips.
Makes four servings.
Note: Baba Ghanouj tastes good with garlic the first day.
* Tahini is a Middle Eastern sesame seed paste. Available in Indian and Middle Eastern stores. 

Hummus

Ingredients

1 Can chick peas drained 19 fl ounces (garbanzo beans)
4 Tablespoons water
¼ Cup fresh or bottled lemon juice
4 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste or sauce available in international stores)
¼ Teaspoon salt or to taste
½ Teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
2 Tablespoons olive oil 

Rinse chickpeas in a colander. Place them in a blender or food processor. Blend chic peas, water, lemon juice, tahini, salt and garlic (if using) until hummus becomes soft. Transfer hummus in to a serving dish and make a swirl with spoon on top of hummus. Pour olive oil around the swirl. Garnish with red bell pepper, Jalapeño pepper slices, olives, and cilantro.
Eat with Pita chips, sliced cucumbers, and chips.

Makes six servings.

Note: Water makes the hummus white and easy to blend. Left over hummus with garlic tastes different than the fresh.

I would like to thank Mrs. Diana Haddad for sharing these Lebanese recipes.

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