This recipe uses two of my all-time favorite North African spice blends and showcases them beautifully! The spice mix creates an aromatic outer crust and the eggplant becomes soft and silky inside.
The zingy harissa yoghurt is the perfect Picante, cooling finish to marry with the rich, deep notes of the Moroccan Ras el Hanout.
I either serve the two halves as a main meal with some salad or one half alongside some roast lamb or chicken as a side dish. This also makes the perfect dish as a side at a BBQ. If I have, I also love to top these with some pomegranate seeds as a sweet finishing touch.
Directions
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the eggplants in half and score a diamond pattern into each half – be sure not to cut through the whole way so the skin remains intact. Salt the eggplants and leave cut-side down on a paper towel for 10-15 mins to remove some of the water.
While the eggplants stand, add the olive oil, juice of half the lemon, the salt, half the mint leaves, the Ras el Hanout and the garlic and stir to combine. Spoon the spice and oil mix on the eggplant halves and rub it in well. Place them cut-side up on a baking tray and place in the oven to cook for about 30 minutes, or until they’re soft inside.
While the eggplants are baking, combine the Harissa spice mix, yoghurt, the rest of the lemon and garlic, and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Once the eggplants are finished baking, remove them from the oven and serve with the harissa yoghurt and the remaining mint leaves and enjoy!
