Make The Healthy Switch To Mediterranean Dips!
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Dips are one of my favorite foods. They are wonderful creations. Packed with flavor and nutrition and Oh! So easy to eat! The kids love dips, they get a kick out of dipping breadsticks, carrot sticks, cheese sticks and even their little ‘finger sticks’ into them!
These smooth and silky purees are not just for dipping, they make such wonderful spreads for wraps or sandwiches. I can honestly make a whole meal off a dip.
But many times, when we hear the word ‘dip’, we are more likely to associate it with unhealthy snacking options. Well, it's time to move towards more nourishing alternatives, which in this case, also taste heavenly.
Mediterranean dips are world renowned for being versatile and delicious. They are made fresh from locally sourced vegetables, beans or thick yogurt. And the Mediterranean equivalent of nachos or chips are whole grain pita or bread. Eat dips for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as late night snacks, they will feel natural any time of the day!
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Dips in the Mediterranean cuisine is a big deal. There need to be at least two to three different varieties at the dining table, and the assortment is known as ‘mezze’ or appetizers.
Depending on the main ingredients that constitute a dip, you can categorize ‘Mezze’ dishes as:
Legume Based Dips
Foul Medamas
The chickpea-based hummus tops this list. There is a complete piece about it you can read here. Beyond the chickpea, the Egyptian fava bean is another favorite legume.
Fava beans (how long do fava beans last?) are used in making Foul Medamas. Foul Medamas is a dip made from cooked and mashed fava beans. Cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger & garlic, this national dish of Egypt is much like a creamy legume stew. Fava beans are loaded with folate and manganese and provide complex compounds like isoflavones, saponins and phytosterols.
Whip up a crowd-pleasing refried bean dip with our easy recipe, perfect for gatherings and snacking on Tex-Mex flavors with minimal effort.
Follow the simple recipe for a plate of good old fashioned authentic foul Medamas!
Ingredients
150 grams dried fava beans or 1 can ready fava beans
1 small red onion
1 medium tomato
A small green chilli
1 large lemon, juiced
3 cloves (how long do cloves last?) garlic, ground
1-inch knob ginger, ground
Half teaspoon cinnamon
Half teaspoon cayenne
5 teaspoon heaped cumin
1/4th teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
A tablespoon of oil for cooking
a tablespoon of extra Virgin olive oil for garnish
Method Of Preparation
If you are using dried beans, soak them overnight. Drain and cook with plenty of water or pressure cook for about 15-20 minutes. The cooked beans (how long do cooked beans last?) need to be well softened.
If you opt for the canned beans, simply drain the water and rinse the beans and set aside.
Chop the garlic and onion finely along with the oil, chili, spices and lemon juice.
In a little oil, gently fry this mixture and sauté for a few minutes.
Adjust for seasoning and add the cooked beans to the pan. Let it simmer and adjust once again for seasoning.
The dip is ready as soon as you feel the consistency and taste is right. Keep the consistency slightly loose, as the dip tends to thicken once its cooled.
Garnish with fresh coriander and parsley and drizzle generously with EVOO!
Vegetable Based Dips
The people from the Middle East love their eggplants (What wine goes well with eggplant?). You will find the beautiful vegetable prepared and cooked in several ways. Grilled, stuffed or made into a dip. Two very popular mezze’s, Mutabal and Baba Ghanoush, both use eggplant (What wine goes well with eggplant?) as their main component, but have their dissimilarities in regard to their other ingredients.
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Both dips use aubergine, cooked in a most unorthodox way. It is put directly on an open flame and you cook it till it is charred on the outside. The heat penetrates into the vegetable making it soft from the inside. The characteristic smokiness of the dish comes from this process. The burnt skin should peel off easily. The procedure till here is the same for both Mutabal and Baba Ghanoush.
In Mutabal, tahini (how long does tahini last?) is mixed with the eggplant, garlic and olive oil. Baba Ghanoush takes tomatoes, onions, pomegranate molasses (how long does pomegranate molasses last?) and walnuts. Both dips are remarkably delicious and timeless!
Follow this easy, DIY recipe for making Mutabal and Baba Ghanoush!
MUTABAL
Ingredients
One eggplant
2 tablespoons yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
Three cloves of garlic
A bunch of cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt for seasoning
Olive oil
Method Of Preparation
Firstly, cut the green head of the eggplant and put it directly on the stove. Grill the eggplant thoroughly.
Once the skin is darkened well enough, take it off the flame and let the eggplant cool down.
Peel off the skin and cut the eggplant into chunks.
Blitz the eggplant and the rest of the ingredients together to make a nice smooth puree.
You may have to add extra yogurt if the dip seems too thick.
Serve with a garnish of cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil.
Baba Ghanoush
Ingredients
One eggplant
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 Cup tomatoes, chopped finely
2 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts
Five to six cloves garlic
2 tablespoon lemon juice
Two tablespoons Greek yogurt
Salt for seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Half teaspoon chili flakes
Pomegranate seeds (how long do pomegranate seeds last?) and fresh greens for garnish
Method Of Preparation
Slit the eggplant slightly with a knife at different places.
Roast it on top of a stove till the outside is charred and insides are soft. Check for doneness by poking a knife inside.
Once it is cooled, peel off the charred skin and chop the flesh.
In a blender, add all ingredients except the garnish and blend to a smooth puree.
If the mixture seems too thick, add a little water.
Serve the garnish of pomegranate seeds, fresh green herbs an generous drizzle of olive oil.
Yogurt Based Dips
Tzatziki Sauce
You get Greek yogurt you drain regular yogurt off its whey. It gives the yogurt its consistency, while still retaining the distinct taste. You don’t really need to buy Greek yogurt; it is so simple to make at home. Just pour all the yogurt into a cheesecloth, or any soft muslin will do just as well. I leave it hanging from the kitchen cabinet handles right over my sink overnight. The next morning you will have silky smooth, perfectly sour Greek yogurt ready!
Yogurt dips are very popular in the Mediterranean region. It makes for the perfect cooling agent against their food that is rich in spices.
The tzatziki dip is made from two cooling ingredients, the yogurt and the cucumbers (how long do cucumbers last?). You will find it is not just used as a dip, it is slathered lavishly on shawarma gyros, or even as a dressing on some fresh green salad!
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Here is an awfully easy recipe for the popular Greek dip, Tzatziki!
Ingredients
500 grams whole milk Greek yogurt
Half a large cucumber
Four cloves of garlic, minced
A tablespoon Dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
Salt for seasoning
2 tablespoons extra Virgin olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
Method Of Preparation
Coarsely grate the cucumber into a sieve or colander.
Salt the cucumber slightly and let it drain for half an hour. Afterwards, squeeze out any excess liquid.
Mix the minced garlic with a pinch of salt and whisk in the olive oil.
Mix the garlic oil and the cucumber into the yogurt. Add the lemon juice and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning, oil and lemon.
Refrigerate for a couple of hours which allow the flavors to mingle and develop.
Serve garnished with a sprig of dill.
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With this we come to the end of and exciting, healthy and wholesome Mediterranean cuisine week. Comment below and let us know your favorite part about the cuisine! Stay safe!
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