THere is a huge Lebanese community in London and, thanks to them (and their many restaurants), I ate a lot of good Lebanese foods in my time. One recent discovery is the Lebanese to take Moussaka to the Marush on Edgware Road, which is different from the Greek version made using Lamb and Bechamel. This version is a simple but enjoyable porridge made with aubergines, chickpeas, spices and herbal medicine, which I have in the aan adaptation of Lebanese garlic sauce, TOUM. The tum is usually made with raw garlic, oil, lemon juice and salt, but I thought I could relieve you gently by heat the garlic with tahini.
Lebanese Moussaka with a five-garlic-clove-clove
You will need a blender to do this.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hour
Serving 4
For Moussaka
3 moderate aubergines (1kg)
Extra-Virgin olive oil
1½ tsp fine sea salt
2 brown onionspeeled and finely diced
4 garlic garlicpeeled and crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground allspice
800g tinned chopped tomatoes (ie, 2 tins)
400g tinned chickpeasdried
40g flat-leaf parsleyleaf and soft stalk finely chopped
Sumacto finish
Greek-style flatbreadsto serve
For the sauce
150g tahini
5 garlic clovespeeled and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp fine sea salt
Heat the oven at 240C (220c fan)/475F/Gas 9. Quarter per aubergine length, then cut each quarter into wedges that are about 4cm in their widest part. Pop them in a large bowl, add four tablespoons of oil and one teaspoon of salt, and toss to coat. Arrange the aubergine wedges in a single layer in a large oven tray, then bake for 18-20 minutes, until cooked. Remove and place on one side.
Place four tablespoons of oil in a wide pan where you have a lid and set it to a medium heat. When hot, add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes. Stir in cumin, cinnamon and allspice, then add tomatoes, chickpeas, cooked aubergines and half a teaspoon of salt, cover the pan and leave to cook on a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water, if necessary (I added 100ml). At the end of the cooking time, fold the parsley.
Meanwhile, make the garlic sauce. Put tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and 115ml water in a blender and whiz until smooth and creamy.
Decant the mix of aubergine and chickpea into a dish, then raise some of the garlic sauce, flowing with more olive oil and sprinkle the sumac. Serve with the remaining garlic sauce and hot Greek flatbreads on the side.
