Baba ghanoush (Arabic: بابا غنوج‎‎ bÄbÄ ghannÅ«j, also appears as baba ganoush or baba ghanouj) is a Levantine dish of cooked eggplant mixed with tahina, olive oil and various seasonings. The Arabic bÄbÄ means "father", while ghannÅ«j could be a personal name. The word combination is also interpreted as "father of coquetry" or "indulged/pampered daddy."
The traditional preparation method is for the eggplant to be baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has a smoky taste. It is a typical meze (starter), often eaten as a dip with khubz or pita bread, and is sometimes added to other dishes. It is popular in the Levant (area covering Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and Syria) as well as in Egypt, Kurdistan, Iran and Armenia.
Similar to baba ghanoush is another Levantine dish, mutabbal (Arabic: متبل‎‎ lit. 'spiced'), which also includes mashed cooked aubergines and tahini, and mixed with salt, pepper, olive oil, and anar seeds. Mutabbal is sometimes said to be a spicier version of baba ghanoush.
A variety of this dish is commonly known as patlıcan salatası ("eggplant salad") in Turkey. It is typically made with mashed eggplants, although varieties with cut eggplants can be found in southern Turkey. In regions with Arab-speaking populations it is also known as abugannuş or abugannuc.
In Israel, it is also known as salat ḥatzilim although a variation with that name made with mayonnaise instead of tahina is also widely available.
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