Balela is a refreshing bean salad from the Middle East. We made it even more interesting by throwing marinated eggplant into the mix. It’s the perfect accompaniment to many of the dishes in this book, such as Baked Falafel, Mujaddara, Pudla, and more. The longer it gets to sit in the fridge, the more the flavors meld, and the more irresistible balela becomes.
Ingredients
For the Marinated Eggplant
- 1 tablespoon (16 g) tahini
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white balsamic vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon harissa paste, or to taste
- 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt, to taste
- 1 small eggplant (a little over 10 ounces, or 280 g), trimmed, cut in two widthwise and then lengthwise in ½-inch (1.3 cm) slices
For the Balela
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup (53 g) minced red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
- 1½ cups (246 g) cooked chickpeas
- 1½ cups (258 g) cooked black beans
- ½ of a roasted red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small tomato, seeded if desired, minced
- 3 tablespoons (18 g) minced fresh mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons (11 g) minced fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
How to Make It
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To make the Marinated Eggplant
- Combine the tahini, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, harissa paste, garlic, cumin, and salt in a shallow pan. Brush a generous amount of this mixture on both sides and edges of each piece of eggplant and place in the shallow pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour to marinate.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C, or gas mark 8). Place the slices of eggplant on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes, flip the slices, and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes until tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, cut the eggplant slices into ⅓-inch (8 mm) cubes. To make the Balela
- In a large bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, onion, and garlic. Add the chickpeas, black beans, roasted bell pepper, tomato, mint, parsley, cubed eggplant, salt, ground pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Chill overnight and serve cold or brought back to room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and they get even better with each passing day.