Mirza Ghasemi is a flavourful Persian aubergine/eggplant dip from northern Iran. If you tried my previous Mirza Ghasemi recipe, I encourage you to give this one a go as well, whether you want to serve it with real or vegan eggs. After my friend from northern Iran cooked his version of this mouthwatering appetiser for me, I was blown away and had to give my own recipe an upgrade. In this recipe, the smoked aubergines are at the forefront of the dish, not being overpowered by the tomatoes, eggs or any other flavours. I promise you, it tastes like a piece of heaven.
Time
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 1 h
Total: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients (serves 4)
1kg / 2.2lbs aubergines (eggplants)
300g / 10.6oz canned chopped tomatoes (3/4 of a can)
10 garlic cloves (about 1 bulb), finely chopped
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
For the classic version
2 eggs
For the vegan "egg"
1/8 cup rice flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp kala namak (black salt)
A pinch of turmeric
To serve
Flatbread of your choice
Fresh herbs such as basil, mint and parsley (sabzi khordan)
Dried marigold petals (optional)
Method
Grill the aubergines
Grill, peel and mash the aubergines as described below, or defrost aubergines you grilled earlier.
Cook the aubergines again
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat, add the smoked aubergines and fry gently for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This cooks off more moisture and deepens the smoky flavour. The longer you give them, the better.
Cook the tomatoes
Meanwhile, put the chopped tomatoes in a small pot with the garlic, turmeric, black pepper and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Combine
When the aubergines have darkened into a thick paste and the tomatoes are thick too, mix them together and season with more salt if needed. Go easy on the salt if you're using the vegan egg, as it is already salty. Keep the Mirza Ghasemi on a very low heat while you make the eggs.
Make the eggs
Classic: fry the eggs separately and place them on top when serving.
Vegan: put the rice flour, kala namak, turmeric and water in a small pot over medium heat and stir constantly. After about 3 minutes it thickens into a paste. Use it straight away.
Serve
Top the Mirza Ghasemi with the fried eggs, or dot teaspoons of the vegan egg over it. Decorate with herbs or marigold petals and serve with bread, more herbs and red onion. Nooshe jan!
Hami's tip
The eggs aren't the star here. You only need one egg for every two portions, so for a simple vegan version you can just leave them out and it will still taste heavenly.
How to grill the aubergines
You can grill the aubergines up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge, or freeze them for up to 3 months. That saves about 40 minutes on the day. Allow at least 2 hours for frozen aubergines to defrost.
Pierce the aubergines in several places with a small knife so the moisture can escape, then use one of these methods:
Barbecue (the best flavour): put the aubergines directly on the still-hot leftover charcoal after grilling, or on a grid very close to it. Turn them until the skin is burnt all over and they are soft inside.
Gas hob: put an oven grid over the hob and grill the aubergines directly over the flames, turning, until the skin is burnt and the inside is soft.
Oven: use the grill setting, or preheat to 200°C fan / 400°F. Put the aubergines on the oven rack with a tray underneath to catch the juices. Turn them after about 10 minutes, once half soft, so they cook evenly.
Let them cool on a plate, then peel off the skin (it comes off easily) and mash the flesh.
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