This is very popular in Iran. A similar recipe, called buran, is to be found in al-Baghdadi’s thirteenth-century cookery manual (see appendix). There, fried meatballs are added to the puree, and the dish is seasoned with ground cumin and cinnamon.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Broil or roast and peel the eggplants (see page 63).
Step 2
Chop the flesh with a pointed knife in a colander to let the juices escape, then mash them with a fork or a spoon. Pour into a bowl and beat in the olive oil and the yogurt and mix vigorously until it is thoroughly blended with the eggplant puree. Mix in the garlic and salt, spoon into a serving bowl, and garnish, if you like, with chopped parsley. Serve cold.
Variations
Step 3
Instead of yogurt, add 2/3 cup fresh thick cream or sour cream and omit the oil.
Step 4
Add 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dried.
Step 5
Garnish with 1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water, then with 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Dribble this on top.
