Recipe: Eggplant Dip with Malunggay

I know. Majority never really likes eggplants, aubergine, whatsoever. My kids never liked this dip when I initially made this either. It was supposed to be a rustic dish that I simply mashed it with a fork. My son specifically said, "Eww, I hate eggplant. It's so mashed up that I can still see bits of everything in it. It's like actually seeing of what it looks like in my digestive system." Okay, I get it.

To refine what I made, I simply turned to my trusty food processor. I pureed the dip, added a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.  The creamy texture was a hit!  I added a handful of malunggay leaves towards the end of the cooking for extra nutrition and a surprising earthy flavour that blends well with the curry and the jalapeño. It goes well with naan, crackers, toasted bread etc.

Preparation time: 30-45 minutes
Yields about 2 cups

• 1 large eggplant (about 9- 10 inches)
• ! tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 piece medium tomato, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds or
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 piece jalapeño, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 cup malunggay leaves, trimmed and washed
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• Olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon

You may or may not grill the eggplant. If you don't like to grill, simply slice the eggplant into cubes. If you do grill, place the eggplant on top of the grill or an open fire and roast the skin until it chars a bit. Grilling adds a nice smokey flavour to the dip. Don't worry about the blackened skin since you will be peeling this off when it cools. Place the grilled eggplant in a covered dish until it cools. At this point, you should be able to peel off the skin easily. You may wash the excess skin off with water but I can manage to peel of all the charred skin easily so I won't need to run it under running water. It only removes some of the smokey flavour that I like. Slice into cubes.

Saute the curry powder in olive oil until fragrant. Add onions, garlic, tomato, bell pepper (you may also roast the pepper beforehand if you like), sesame seeds, jalapeño (optional) and the eggplant.  Cook until everything is soft and cooked through for about three to five minutes. You may add a small amout of water to soften the veggies if the mixture is too dry.

Add the Malunggay leaves just before you turn the stove off. Let the remaining heat cook the leaves further. Season with salt and pepper. If you use tahini, add the tahini after you turn off the fire. Add the cilantro leaves last.

Transfer the mixture in a bowl and let it cool, covered. When cooled, you may mash it if you like it that way or puree it in a food processor. Drizzle with olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. I don't like my dip runny. Finally, add a squeeze of lemon juice in the end.

Store in a covered ramekin or glass bowls and jars with sealed lid. Keeps in the fridge for about a week as long as you don't double dip.