All the Middle Eastern dishes you need to celebrate Aladdin’s premiere
By Louis Skye
Naomi Scott is Jasmine in Disney’s live-action ALADDIN, directed by Guy Ritchie.
Savoury Dips
No mezze is complete without a smorgasbord of delicious savoury dips. There are a few standard dips that you absolutely must have as they all complement each other with their flavour profiles.
The first and most popular of the dips is hummus. This blended chickpea dish has taken over the world—much like Aladdin—with various countries putting their own spin on it. But the original hummus is finely blended chickpeas, served in a bowl with a well in its centre to pour in
some olive oil. There is, as always, a healthy sprinkling of pomegranate jewels adorning the dish.
Babaghanoush, an aubergine dip that is delightfully tangy and rich, has somehow not caught the world’s imagination the way hummus has, but is an absolute must in a mezze.
As is the tzatziki, a yoghurt dip with cucumbers, whose Greek counterpart is better known than the Middle Eastern version. They are very similar except for the type of yoghurt they use. The taste, of course, is spectacular.
Another essential element among the dips is the sundried tomato paste, which adds a whole new level of umami to the experience.
All these dips are meant to be had with lightly warmed pita bread, and thus you have a meal fit for a king.