Spicy aubergine, tomato and garlic zaalouk salad
In his book, The North African Cookbook, the American cook and writer Jeff Koehler explores the rich culinary culture of the Maghreb, a region that spans Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. These recipes reflect the diversity of the cuisine, drawing on Berber, Arab and Ottoman influences, as well as French, Spanish and Italian – from fish tagine to orange blossom and cinnamon scented flan.
This is a Moroccan classic. Served warm, cold or at room temperature, it is ideal as part of a spread of salads and pairs nicely with grilled meat or fish. This recipe has a slightly less spicy bite than many versions, especially those from the south.
This is an edited extract from ‘The North African Cookbook’ by Jeff Koehler (Phaidon, £39.95)\
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Ingredients
Serves 4
To serve
Method
Step 1
Using a vegetable peeler or knife, peel the aubergine skin away lengthwise in strips, leaving about a third of the skin on the flesh. Cut into 1.5-2cm-square cubes.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the aubergines, cover with a lid and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until soft.
Step 3
Stir in the garlic, then add the tomatoes, herbs and spices, and season to taste with salt and pepper and cayenne – this will depend on the potency of the cayenne and on how much heat you like.
Step 4
Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring and mashing it down using a potato masher or a wooden spoon until it has a paste-like consistency, the tomatoes have reduced and the flavours have combined. This should take around 20 minutes. Add about 2tbsp water if needed.
Step 5
Transfer from the pan to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature, with the bread on the side.
