Baba Ganoush

Baba ganoush (or baba ghanouj) is another popular Lebanese dip in the Middle East and beyond. It's made with mashed cooked eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and various seasonings. It's typically served with pita bread as part of a mezze platter or as a side dish to larger meals, similar to hummus.

Baba ganoush has a delicious smokey flavor that comes from roasted eggplant. The eggplant is broiled or roasted over an open flame before being peeled and blended with the remaining ingredients.

When eating Lebanese food, you may encounter another dip known as moutabal. I used to think moutabal and baba ganoush were two completely different dishes, but they're both made from roasted eggplant. Moutabal is essentially a spicier version of baba ganoush made with pomegranate (anar) seeds.

The name baba ghanoush literally translates to "spoiled daddy" or "pampered daddy," though it's unclear whether this refers to the eggplant itself or a person who is pampered by the dish.