To make the cucumber pickle, wash the cucumbers after which reduce two vertical traces 1cm/cm throughout the highest and backside of every cucumber, as this helps the pickling liquid to permeate. Combine the salt with 1 liter/half liter of water in a jug.
Place the cucumbers and scorching peppers vertically in a transparent jar and press them to suit as many as doable. There must be as few gaps within the jar as doable, so fill in any massive areas with garlic cloves.
Add the brine in order that it utterly covers every thing, after which shut the jar very tightly with a lid. Place it in a cool dry place out of the solar till the colour adjustments from gentle inexperienced to uninteresting inexperienced. In the summertime, this may take 10-15 days, however within the winter it could take 15-25 days.
To make the mujadara, wash the lentils in a colander till the water runs clear.
Warmth 75ml/2oz of the oil in a saucepan over medium-high warmth, add the cumin seeds and toast for 1 minute. Scale back warmth barely, add onions and prepare dinner for 8-10 minutes, till softened and barely caramelized. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon of the salt, then add 1 teaspoon of the freshly floor black pepper, allspice, and curry powder. Stir till toasted and coat the lentils with the oil and spices.
Add some water till it’s about 3cm/1in above the lentils, then cowl with a lid and convey to a boil. Scale back to a simmer for about 20 minutes till the lentils are nearly tender – you need the lentils to nonetheless be a bit agency. Stir within the bulgur with the remaining olive oil and add. If obligatory, prime with boiling water, in order that it’s nonetheless 3cm/1in above the lentils and bulgur. Cowl with a lid and boil for 3-5 minutes, then flip up the warmth. Cowl all the pot with a clear tea towel and put aside for 30-45 minutes. Take away the tea towel and lid, and crumble the beans with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
To make the baba ghanoush, beginning on the stem, use a pointy knife to chop lengthwise from prime to backside and all the best way down the edges of every eggplant. Do not go too far into the eggplant – about 5 mm/inch is okay. This may make it simpler to extract the cooked, tender pulp.
To roast the eggplant within the oven, preheat the oven to 240°F / 220°C. fan/gasoline 9. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for half-hour, turning over because it cooks. To char the eggplant over a flame (whether or not on the stovetop or on a flame grill or barbecue), maintain it rigorously with flameproof tongs and proceed to flip it. The crust must be black and charred already and the eggplant nearly falling aside. Every eggplant has its personal form, measurement, and water content material, however verify contained in the rating line; When it’s darkish brown on the within, the center is finished. Take away from the hearth and go away to chill barely.
When it is cool sufficient to carry your fingers, break up every eggplant in half, reserving one again half of every in its pores and skin, and take away the flesh of the opposite two halves in a meals processor (discard the pores and skin on these halves). Add the reserved eggplant halves—together with the skins—to a meals processor together with the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt, and stir till nearly clean. The charred pores and skin provides a extremely intense, smoky taste. Alternatively, you possibly can finely chop the substances as a substitute of processing for a larger consequence. Combine the tahini. Serve with a mound of bread dipped in olive oil or with one of many corresponding garnish solutions.
To make the Laban Bakiar, put the cucumbers in a bowl, add the yoghurt, garlic, mint and salt and blend collectively. If the yogurt is nice, add lemon juice to style.
To serve, prime the mujadara with the crispy onions. Baba ghanoush is poured with pomegranate molasses, pomegranate seeds and slightly olive oil. Serve mujadara and baba ghanoush with cucumber yogurt, pickled cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes.