Roasted Eggplant Dip Without Tahini (Baba Ganoush)
Once the roasting is done, this dip is ultra quick and easy, just add all ingredients into a bowl and mash together! Serve this tahini free version with raw veggies (especially good with cucumber), pita bread or crackers. Quick Tip: If you are using your oven to cook something else, you can pop your eggplant in at the same time. It won't char but as long as it cooks through it'll work just fine. *You can omit the yogurt if you cannot tolerate dairy or are vegan, it will just be a little less creamy tasting.
Preheat your broiler or BBQ and then put whole eggplant in, letting it char each side, turning ever 5 minutes or so until it is charred all over and the inside is cooked and mushy. Remove and let it cool enough to handle.
Cut open eggplant and scoop into a bowl then add rest of ingredients except pomegranate seeds and parsley and mash with a fork, mortar and pestle or blend with a stick blender until desired consistency. This can be rustic and chunky, relatively smooth or anywhere in between. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top and serve with pita bread or veggies or toss it with chopped up cucumber for a middle eastern salad.