Cauliflower Mutabal

When people think of Mutabal or Baba Ganouj, an eggplant dip generally comes to mind. These dips have become very popular in the western world showing up at parties and on the plates of healthy vegetarians, right next to the hummus!

Cauliflower mutabal however hasn't made much of a splash as it's eggplant friend, but it's still an extremely popular dip/spread enjoyed by many in the Arab world. It's prepared almost much of the same way, but has a different taste and texture altogether. Give it a try if you're a cauliflower lover, like myself.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
5 tbsp tahini paste
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Enough vegetable oil to fry cauliflower

Garnish
Parsley, chili sauce, cumin, evoo, fried cauliflower florets

Method

Cut the cauliflower into pieces and give them a good wash. Make sure they are dry before you begin deep frying in the vegetable oil. Fry the florets until they are a golden brown colour, and move them to sit on paper towels to have some of the oil drain off. After a few minutes -while still hot, use a potato masher to mash the florets in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the lemon juice, tahini, salt, garlic and evoo until thick and creamy. Add to the mashed cauliflower and mix for a minute with a spoon until well combined. I do not recommend adding all ingredients in a processor as you would baba ganouj, as it will make the consistency too smooth, and that's not what you're looking for with this type of mutabal.

I usually garnish with evoo and chili paste. This can be served hot or cold, but I prefer cold myself. I usually smear a spoon or 2 ...or 5 on my morning pita :)

Enjoy!