Nazkhatun Eggplant Dip in 7 Steps

Malcolm Gladwell, a fellow University of Toronto alum, in his essay, "The Ketchup Conundrum", mentions that the reason Heinz ketchup has had such an unprecedented global appeal is because it perfectly balances the "five known fundamental tastes in the human palate: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami." 

If you look at the ingredient list for Heinz ketchup, you will find that it has tomato concentrate, which has the umami flavor, also present in mother's milk. The second ingredient is vinegar, which provides sourness, another of the fundamental tastes. The next set of ingredients are high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup, which satisfy our primal desire for sweet food. I have already discussed the addictive properties of high fructose corn syrup in my meatloaf recipe blogpost. The last set of ingredients, present in Heinz ketchup, salt, spice, onion powder, and natural flavoring, gratify the salty and bitter taste receptors. Ketchup, unlike any other condiment available in the supermarket, satisfies all five primal sensory taste buds, all at once, "in one long crescendo". 

It is no wonder that children love ketchup because it tastes familiar. It has the umami flavor, and a balance of sweetness, saltiness, bitterness and acidity. Gladwell also mentions that small children "tend to be neophobic: once they hit two or three, they shrink from new tastes". It is imperative to introduce young children to a variety of flavors and cuisines, at a young age, instead of limiting their palate to simple foods, like cheese pizza, plain white bread, and/or bland pasta.

Growing up, my husband had a very limited palate. His diet consisted of mainly meat, processed food, and sodas. Fruits, vegetables, and lentils were completely foreign to him. So when we had our daughter, we made sure that we expose her to all food groups, and we do not dumb down flavors for her. 

Although my husband's palate has evolved overtime, he still does not like eating vegetables or eating fresh fruits. So when I made Nazkhatun, a Persian eggplant dip, my husband not only ate it, but loved the vegetable dish. So without further adieu, let me share the recipe with you. The recipe consists of eggplants and tomatoes, which have the umami flavor. The pomegranate molasses, used here and in most Persian dishes, provides the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The angelica powder, another Persian cuisine staple, has slightly bitter undertones. So here is a recipe, which much like ketchup, satisfies all five fundamental taste buds.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 pound of eggplants

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

3/4 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder

2 green chillies (seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped)

2 large tomatoes (diced)

1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon of angelica powder (aka golpar)

1 teaspoon of pomegranate molasses

1/4 cup of cilantro leaves (chopped)

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prick eggplants with a fork. Place the eggplants on a lined baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. 

Step 2: In the meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, over high heat, heat the oil. Saute the onions and garlic until slightly golden. 

Step 3: Add the chopped green chilies. Cook for 30 seconds. Add salt, cumin powder, and turmeric.

Step 4: Turn the flame down to medium, and add tomatoes. Add the chili flakes, angelica powder, pomegranate molasses, and cilantro leaves. Cook until tomatoes have turned soft, and the oil has separated.

Step 5: Remove the cooked eggplants from the oven.

Step 6: Place the eggplants on a cutting board, and roughly chop them.

Step 7: Add the chopped eggplants to the saucepan. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the eggplants do not stick to the bottom of the pan.

After 15 minutes, turn off the stove.

Serve with warm lavash or pita.

Note: This recipe is adapted from Njamieh Batmanglih's cookbook called 'Food of Life'.