Morocco · Morocco

Zaalouk

Name: Zaalouk
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Morocco
Ingredients: eggplant 500 g; tomatoes 400 g; garlic, minced 10 g; olive oil 30 ml; ground cumin 2 g; sweet paprika 2 g; cilantro, chopped 10 g; lemon juice 15 ml; water 100 ml; salt 4 g

Eggplant and tomato cook down into a thick garlic and cumin dip.

45 minutes · 4 servings · Easy

Zaalouk is the aubergine dip of western Morocco, and it is wetter and smoother than the taktouka it often sits beside. Eggplant is cooked down until it collapses entirely, which takes longer than the recipe usually admits. Cumin and garlic are cooked in the pan first to a paste before the tomato joins them, and the result is thick enough to hold a spoon upright.

Ingredients

eggplant500 g
tomatoes400 g
garlic, minced10 g
olive oil30 ml
ground cumin2 g
sweet paprika2 g
cilantro, chopped10 g
lemon juice15 ml
water100 ml
salt4 g

Directions

1
Wash eggplant and tomatoes. Partly peel eggplant and dice into 1 cm pieces; finely chop tomatoes.
The pieces are small enough to soften evenly.
2
Put vegetables, garlic, oil, cumin, paprika, water and salt in a covered pan. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.
Eggplant is soft throughout with no spongy white center.
3
Uncover, mash coarsely and cook for 8 minutes until thick. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro; serve warm or cooled.
The dip mounds on a spoon and does not release excess water. For storage, refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or below; above 32°C, refrigerate within 1 hour.

Source: WorldBite Editorial · WorldBite Proprietary Editorial Content