Moorish Badenjan Dip
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: October 19, 2009

It's funny how our tastebuds change as we age. Not too long ago, eggplant was on my shortlist of foods I didn't like, now it seems I can't get enough of it. One day I looked at the plate of baba ganoush my friend had ordered and it just clicked, "I think I like eggplant now!" The same thing happened with onions, black licorice, and avocados. One minute I hated it, the next I suddenly can't get enough of it. There's no gray area either, I don't ease these new 'likes' into my diet, I go whole hog. The first time I ate raw onions I didn't just squirrel them into a salad, no, I made an onion sandwich! Crazy, I know. Now that eggplant is on my radar I find that I'm consistently searching for new, unique ways to prepare and satiate my addiction. I recently discovered this delicious Moorish dish, Badenjan - a creamy smoky dip with deep notes of saffron balanced by fresh mint - and in two weeks I've made it twice. Both times I've prepared it as a condiment of sorts to our main dish. The first time, to accompany aromatic lamb meatballs (filled with garlic, onions and mint), the second time an addition to a Moroccan-style grilled chicken.  This is some serious eggplant goodness. Click below for the recipe: