Everyday Kitchen

Moroccan/North African · Dips

Zaalouk

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
VegEasy

Diet: Veg · Vegan

Zaalouk is a Moroccan/North African dish. Reduce until the dip holds a soft mound on a spoon.

Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Total
60 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Moroccan/North African
Course
Dips

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Zaalouk.
Representative photograph of Zaalouk. Garnishes and presentation may differ. This is not a tested result of this draft. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Vegetables

Seasoning

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; heavy frying pan; spatula; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Simmer · About 25 min

  1. Combine 700 g eggplant, diced, 500 g tomatoes, chopped, 20 g garlic, chopped, 50 ml olive oil, 150 ml water in a wide pan; cover and simmer 25 minutes until soft.

    Check: Look for this result: soft.

Mash · About 7 min

  1. Add cumin, paprika and salt from 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, ¾ tsp salt, 25 ml lemon juice, 20 g coriander; mash vegetables roughly.

Reduce · About 15 min

  1. Cook uncovered 10–15 minutes until thick, stirring. Finish with lemon and coriander.

    Check: Look for this result: thick, stirring.

Tips

  • Reduce until the dip holds a soft mound on a spoon.
  • Use the texture and doneness checks in the method; cooking times depend on your pan and heat.

Substitutions

  • Roast eggplant first for a deeper flavour, then shorten simmering.

Storage

  • Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.
  • Reheat cooked dishes to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning for even heating. Serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts directly from safe refrigeration.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Zaalouk one day ahead. Refrigerate chopped vegetables and other perishable ingredients separately; complete the staged cooking on the serving day.

FAQ

What matters most when making Zaalouk?

Reduce until the dip holds a soft mound on a spoon.

What can I substitute in Zaalouk?

Roast eggplant first for a deeper flavour, then shorten simmering.

Can I prepare Zaalouk ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Zaalouk one day ahead. Refrigerate chopped vegetables and other perishable ingredients separately; complete the staged cooking on the serving day.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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