Zucchini moutabbal

‘What’s a moutabbal?’ I hear you say. Well in Lebanon (and the Middle-East in general) it literally means ‘mixed’ and usually indicates some kind of spread. In my family, when you say moutabbal you usually mean baba ganoush. Hummus has become a household item and the baba ganoush is also getting there. Less know is the zucchini spread or ‘koussa moutabbal’. Oh, don’t even dare call it zucchini hummus! You can’t call something ‘hummus’ if doesn’t contain any chickpeas: hummus in Arabic literally mean chickpea. That’s just a no-go 😉 So moutabbal it is: delicious, easy and a nice variation if you don’t feel like eating hummus (which is a ridiculous thought, I know!).

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Ingredients

• 600 gr zucchini (about 2 large ones)

• 100 ml tahini (sesame paste)

• 1 garlic clove

• Juice from 1 lemon

• Salt

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon dried mint

• Optional: 50 gr walnuts + extra for garnish

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Directions

• Cut the zucchini in small cubes, discard the top and bottom.
• Heat a bit of oil in a pan and add the zucchini. Cook them until completely soft and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
• Once cooled, combine the zucchini with the tahini, peeled garlic, lemon juice, salt, and, if using, the dried mint and/or walnuts, and blitz them into a puree. (The dish in the picture is made with walnuts)
• Scoop the moutabbal onto a serving dish and garnish with the olive oil and extra walnuts. Serve with some Lebanese bread.