Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Dip with an Indian Twist

Growing up, eggplant was a welcomed ingredient in many of the dishes my parents and grandparents prepared. Eggplant caviar; eggplant slices topped with garlic, mayonnaise and cheese and then baked in the oven until the cheese sizzled and was ready to be sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley; and of course ratatouille were some of my favorite dishes.

Last month I shared a recipe for Eggplant & Tomato Dip. This recipe, uses the same main ingredients (eggplant and tomatoes), but also incorporates some of my favorite Indian flavors.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Dip with an Indian Twist

Ingredients
1 eggplant, roasted in 450F oven for about an hour, cooled, peeled, mashed with a fork
1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
juice 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon grated ginger (I used a microplane for this)
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt & pepper

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Check out my new serving dish: it's copper on the outside and mirror-finished inside! (Thanks, Radha)

Serve this dip as a dip, a side salad or a topping on sandwiches, crackers or bagels.

What's your favorite dish to make with an eggplant?

{“”Come share in the tomato love at the Tomato Love Recipe Exchange, hosted by Gimme Some Oven & Bake Your Day, sponsored this week by Cuisinart.  Also visit Recipe for Change to learn more about how to support tomato farmers.” }