Roasted Dukkah Eggplant Hummus

Eggplant is a hearty, spongy, and versatile nightshade veggie that is vibrant in color and size with origins dating back to India. Eggplant is also right at home in Mediterranean cuisine. Today we created a savory eggplant hummus dip for a beach dinner near Lake Michigan that’s worth sharing.

We love our beach dinners. There’s something undeniably ‘Summer’ about them and it's a tradition in Michiana to enjoy weekly bonfires by the lake, so bringing food is the obvious next evolution. This hummus is simple, yet explosive with irresistible flavor, enough to keep a crowd gathered around the chip or pita bowl. Cubes of eggplant are roasted, then tossed with olive oil, garlic, and dukkah, which tops our creamy hummus. Dukkah is traditionally made with hazelnuts, but we’re substituting pistachios for a similar textural quality. Dive into this dip with your food vessel of choice and enjoy immediate Summerification.

Roasted Dukkah Eggplant Hummus

Preheat the oven to 400˚

Make the dukkah – In a 10″ non-stick skillet, dry toast the sesame seeds until fragrant and lightly toasted and pour into a bowl. Dry toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes and add to the bowl. Add the salt and pepper to the bowl. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Add the chopped pistachios. In a spice grinder, pulse the mixture in batches until coarsely ground. Store in an airtight container in the freezer to maintain peak freshness. 

Roast the eggplant –  Line a large sheet pan with parchment. In a medium bowl, toss the eggplant cubes with the olive oil and 2 tbsp dukkah. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Make the hummus – In a large saucepan, add the garbanzo beans and baking soda. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and press out as much water as possible.

In a food processor, pulse the garlic until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Taste and adjust the salt, if necessary,

To serve – Spoon the humuss into a flat serving bowl, making a well in the center. Top with the roasted eggplant. Garnish with some pistachio oil, dukkah and cilantro.  Serve with naan.

serves 4 - 6

DUKKAH

  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • ½ cup dry roasted pistachios, chopped

EGGPLANT

  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp dukkah (see above) 

HUMMUS

  • 2 cans of garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 medium cloves garlic
  • the juice from 1 large lemon
  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cold water

TO SERVE

  • 2 tbsp pistachio oil
  • fresh coriander leaves
  • 1 tbsp dukkah
  • naan