When I stumble upon tasty food like this, I often wonder who came up with this recipe? Who decided that burning a whole ripe plump Aubergine over a naked flame until it resembles a deflated balloon, would make a gorgeously smooth creamy dip? Or was it discovered by accident as I like to think most popular dishes are; it gives a recipe instant legendary status when a trail of unlikely events are attached to its discovery. I’m not satisfied with the vague tale that Royalty had something to do with its invention, especially as the same dish is enjoyed in a variety of ways from Lebanon to Bangladesh, nevertheless it certainly has high status in my regard.

One of the translations for Baba Ganoush is “pampered or spoiled father“, well I definitely felt like somebody’s favourite after eating this with some roasted sweet potatoes and chicken kebabs I’d made.

The process of roasting the Aubergine is just fun to do: the smell the sweet skin burning brings back memories of roasting potatoes on Bonfires in November; watching the wafer thin ash pieces float into the midnight sky. You know the Aubergine is cooked when it feels tender and the skin is wrinkly to touch.

Be careful peeling and scooping out the flesh not to mix any of the ash into the pulp as the bitter taste will ruin the dish (I learnt this the first time I made it). The smoky flavour runs right through the stringy flesh, so you won’t lose anything.

If you want, why not try blending in fried onions, garlic and ‘warm spices’ to the mix as they do in certain parts of Asia? I regularly see it served with hot flat bread, onion salads and grilled meats or falafel.