Recipe

Courgette Muttabel

This very special recipe was shared with my by the renowned Qatari cook Ms Maryam Mohammed Abdulla, who joined with me to write my first book ‘Good Eating, A Taste of Qatar’. This was many years ago but still, I feel so proud and privileged to have worked with her, and gained insight into the culinary world of a country I have been lucky enough to call my home.

 

6
10 minutes
6 minutes
Stove cooking

Ingredients

  • 1kg fresh courgettes
  • 250g plain yoghurt
  • 125ml tahini paste
  • 1 green chilli
    - seeds removed and thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic
    - peeled & crushed
  • Pinch of sea salt and good grind of black pepper
  • 60ml fresh lemon juice
  • Garnish:
  • olive oil, black olives and chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Prepare courgettes:
  • 01 Wash, peel and cut into thick slices. Boil quickly in salted water until tender. Drain well.
  • 02 By hand push courgette through a fine sieve into a bowl, ensuring all excess boiled water has been removed. Continue to mash until very soft.
  • Final stage:
  • 03 In a separate bowl mix together yoghurt and tahini; blending well.
  • 04 Crush garlic and green chilli in a pestle and mortar and add to the sieved courgette.
  • 05 Add the blended yoghurt and tahini, lemon juice plus seasonings salt and white pepper. Blend together until smooth.
  • 06 Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with olive oil, black olives and fresh parsley leaves.

Notes

If you are short of time, tip the cooked, drained courgette plus all the other ingredients into a food process and pulse until smooth. Remember to drain the cooked courgettes well, otherwise the dip will be thin and watery.

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