Batenjan

Name: Batenjan
Prep time: 900 s
Cook time: 3000 s
Total time: 4500 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: FOR THE EGGPLANT; Medium-sized batenjan (eggplants): 2; FOR THE KHASHKASH TOMATO SAUCE; Olive oil: 30 g; Small onion: 1 (finely chopped); Garlic cloves: 3 (minced); Whole tomatoes: 400 g (crushed); Ground allspice: 5 g; Aleppo pepper: 5 g; Salt: 5 g; FOR THE TAHINI YOGURT; Plain yogurt: 120 g; Tahini paste: 30 g; Lemon juice: 15 g; Salt: to taste; OTHER COMPONENTS; Small makdous (pickled baby eggplants): 3-4 (finely chopped); Walnuts: 15 g (chopped); Micro cilantro: to garnish; Mint leaves: to garnish; Aleppo oil: to garnish

11 Aug 2025

Charbel Hayek

Chef

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Difficulty

Medium

Total Time

1H 15MIN

Cuisine

Middle Eastern

Ingredients

FOR THE EGGPLANT

Medium-sized batenjan (eggplants): 2

FOR THE KHASHKASH TOMATO SAUCE

Olive oil: 30 g

Small onion: 1 (finely chopped)

Garlic cloves: 3 (minced)

Whole tomatoes: 400 g (crushed)

Ground allspice: 5 g

Aleppo pepper: 5 g

Salt: 5 g

FOR THE TAHINI YOGURT

Plain yogurt: 120 g

Tahini paste: 30 g

Lemon juice: 15 g

Salt: to taste

OTHER COMPONENTS

Small makdous (pickled baby eggplants): 3-4 (finely chopped)

Walnuts: 15 g (chopped)

Micro cilantro: to garnish

Mint leaves: to garnish

Aleppo oil: to garnish

Chef Charbel Hayek softens this traditional eggplant dish by grilling the vegetable over open fire before peeling and serving it with khashkash, a spiced tomato sauce. Layers of chopped pickled eggplant (makdous), homemade tahini yogurt, and a generous topping of walnuts, micro cilantro, mint, and Aleppo oil make Batenjan one of his best-selling dishes at Laya.

How to make Batenjan

01.

Make the Eggplant

Roast the eggplants over an open flame for about 20 minutes, rotating every 30 seconds until the skin is fully charred and the flesh is tender.
Transfer to a plate and let cool for 10 minutes.
Peel off the charred skin and set the flesh aside.

02.

Make the Khashkash Tomato Sauce

In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, allspice, Aleppo pepper, and salt.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Keep warm.

03.

Make the Tahini Yogurt

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, and salt until smooth and creamy.

04.

Assemble and Serve

Place the peeled eggplants on a serving plate.
Spoon over the chopped makdous.
Top generously with the warm tomato sauce, then drizzle with the tahini yogurt.
Garnish with micro cilantro, mint, chopped walnuts, and Aleppo oil.
Serve immediately.

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11 Aug 2025

The Chef

Beirut native and Top Chef MENA champion Charbel Hayek showcases refined Eastern Mediterranean cuisine in Los Angeles at Ladyhawk and Laya, drawing on influences from his upbringing, training, and global culinary experiences.

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