Baba Ghanoush

Baba ghanoush is a Middle Eastern dish that's mostly associated with Lebanon (although it's origins are also connected to Syria and Jordan), and it consists of roasted and puréed eggplants, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and tahini, with the occasional addition of mint, onions, and various spices. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase baba gannuj, where baba means father or daddy, and gannuj means pampered or spoiled, referring to a supposed invention of baba ghanoush by a member of a royal harem. Another theory says that it alludes to a toothless father whose daughter had to mash his food so he could properly consume it. Baba ghanoush is usually served as an appetizer, and it is frequently used for dipping. It can also be used as a spread for making open-faced sandwiches, ideally topped with parsley, tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers.