A recipe for Baba ghannouj aka baba ghannoush, can be easily found on the internet.
To make Mamaghannouj, you use basically the same ingredients as the eggplant version, only you use a different vegetable.
I bought Mamaghannouj, aka mamaghanousch from a restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ about 15 years ago. Since it did not have the eggplant, which is a nightshade, and for me prefer not to use nightshades, this recipe was a must for me.
Here is how I make mine:
As some you know for the baba ghannouj, the eggplant is baked. I never have baked my summer squash to make this recipe because I do not want to warm up the kitchen on an already warm day, I dehydrate my summer squash with an Excalibur Dehydrator. I use all the varieties...whatever is available at the best price.
Some of us have neighbors whose zucchini as gone wild and they are desperate to unload them. I welcome having them because I dehydrate them and use them throughout the summer for this recipe.
I slice the squash in about 1/4" rounds and let the machine do the rest. When dried, I store them is sealed packages or jars for further use.
It is not necessary to dehydrate the squash. I have a friend who makes my recipe who prefers the fresh squash. The fresh squash is watery and makes my end product unsatisfactory. You might like to try making it both ways to see what is your preference, or not...
One idea for a less wet squash is to cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and cut the squash up fine...wrap in a cloth and squeeze out the juice.
Using the fresh squash, you will need 2 - 3 medium to large squashes...not those huge ones that got unfound...
Using dehydrated squash, make a mental note what the yield measures to after dehydration, so you can use the same amount...
Add the squash to water to rehydrate. About 1 1/2 - 2 cups. Cook with a clove or 2 of garlic. If the garlic is contraindicated for your condition for right now, you can use shallot. Don't cook too long. You will want to maintain some body to the vegie.
(For fresh, just enough to steam and have a little water left over for blending the rest of the ingredients). In this case, don't overcook.
You will need 2 - 3  cloves of garlic. Smash them with a knife and they are easier to peel. Then mince. Add a pinch of salt and mix into the minced garlic.
You will need 2-3 T. of tahini...When I buy, I like to buy the Regenerative Brand because there is less grease floating on top. We want our oily foods to remain as water soluable as possible for our best health.
You could use some hulled, toasted seeds and milled in a seed mill real fine until they are buttery, instead of tahini.
Baba ghannouj calls for olive oil and again because I prefer to avoid grease which gums up our works, I use green ripe olives as my oil. I use the Lindsay brand or the Santa Barbara brand. Again because oil in this manner is water soluable it is easier on the metabolic systems of the body.
These 2 brands have no gremlins in theirs. I use about 6 olives. It takes about 15 or so to make a tablespoon of the oil. You can add more of the olives if you would like. It is still oil. You can get the olives soaking as you prepare the recipe to desalinate them, as we do with our sauerkraut and daikon pickle, if you would like.
You will need the juice of l lemon.
I use Mitoku white miso for my salt. 2 - 3 teaspoons. Start with less so you can avoid over salting. Remember you have salted the garlic a little; and the olives have salt.
I use Herbes de Provence for my herb ingredient. I just pour some in my hand, about 1/2 tsp. to begin with, and rub my hands together to release the flavor of the herb. Go easy so you can see how much you want of that taste in your finished product.
Place all the ingredients into a blender bowl or food processor and mix. Go easy so as not to make a cream out of it...it is nice to have some of the chunks of the squash and garlic, if you would like. Add some of the cooking water as you blend for the thickness you would like.
When I use fresh squash and it seems watery inspite of my mindfulness to keep from being so, I add a slice of Pacific Bakery Sourdough bread and blend it in to thicken up the recipe.
I eat it on my homemade tortillas, or bread, or use as a dip for vegies. Enjoy!
I love this stuff!
More ideas for usage... I cooked some sweet potato in a steamer and used the spread on sliced rounds. Also, other times have used on lettuce leaves instead of using bread...Yum...
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