Smokey Aubergine Kishke Dip

Kishke is a simple vital mouneh traced back to the Turkish, Levantine and some regional Iraqi cuisines. It is made from combining bulgur and yoghurt together. Back in the days when the produce of the land and animal was seasonally in high peak during the summer, the summer season and the beginning of autumn were the time to prepare mouneh, the act of preserving food, vegetables and fruits using different methods and techniques to be consumed during the harsh winters. Kishke was one of those prepared by villagers by soaking fine bulgur in yoghurt then rolling the mix in small balls and leaving them to ferment and dry outdoors until hardened. At this point, they develop that distinct sour taste from the fermentation process. It is then crushed into powder and stored in the mouneh room for use during wintertime, such as kishke soup which warms you up on those bone-cold days.

This recipe, in essence, resembles mutabal as grilled aubergine and yoghurt are crucial but, making it with the fermented yoghurt from the kiskeh adds a deliciously distinctive flavour, while the sauteed onions add a sweetness that complements the sourness of the kishke. This dip or mezze is a must try and equally delicious warm or cold. I have a recipe for the fresh green kishke, give it a try.

Servings: 1 sharing plate

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Grilling: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium aubergines

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

1 /4 kishke powder

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon dried mint

1/2 cup walnuts

1 ½ teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Method:

· Grill the aubergine according to the method here.

· Peel and roughly chop the grilled aubergine.

· Mix the kishke with water until you have a paste that resembles hummus.

· Finely chop the onion and sauté in the olive oil, add the chopped garlic sauté until the aroma is released then add the chopped aubergine, kishke paste -to your liking- and mint. Season with salt and pepper.

· Place in a food processor along with the walnuts and pulse.it needs to have a coarse texture.

· Adjust the seasoning and add more kishke if you fancy. Place on a serving plate and decorate with crispy onions, chopped walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

· Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm or cold.

Notes:

· You can deep fry the aubergine if you prefer.

· For a vegan alternative, you can use cashew cream or any vegan yoghurt mixed with some miso paste. In this case, omit the water from the recipe.

Per Serving: 1246 Calories; 86g Fat (58.2% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 101g Carbohydrate; 32g Dietary Fibre; 31mg Cholesterol; 4417mg Sodium.