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Persian

Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Smoked Eggplant Dip)

A smoky Persian eggplant and tomato dip from Gilan, finished with garlic and softly cooked egg.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 6 September 2026Updated

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Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Smoked Eggplant Dip)

50 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Forty minutes, and charring the aubergine over a flame is the bulk of it. That step cannot be replaced by an oven without losing the smoke.

Method

  1. Roast the whole brinjal directly over a flame or on a hot pan until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.

  2. Cool slightly, peel off the charred skin, and mash the smoky flesh.

  3. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, without browning too much.

  4. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the mixture thickens.

  5. Stir in the mashed eggplant and cook until the dip looks cohesive and glossy.

  6. Make a small space in the pan, add the beaten eggs, and gently scramble them into the eggplant mixture.

  7. Cook just until the eggs are set and the dip remains soft.

How to tell it's done

The dip should be soft, smoky, and slightly chunky, with egg gently set into the tomato-eggplant base.

Getting it right

Tip

The smoky eggplant flavor is the heart of Mirza Ghasemi, so roast the brinjal until the flesh is completely soft.

What to serve it with

Serve warm with flatbread, fresh herbs, or steamed rice.

Common mistakes

The dip tastes bitter and ashy.
Peel every scrap of charred skin away before mashing. The smoke you want is in the flesh; the burnt skin itself is simply bitter.
It is watery.
Let the peeled aubergine drain for a few minutes, and cook the tomato down properly before it goes in. Aubergine holds a lot of liquid and mirza ghasemi should be thick enough to scoop with bread.

Substitutions

  • If open-flame roasting is not possible, roast the brinjal in an oven or on a heavy pan until fully soft.
  • Egg can be skipped for a vegan-style local variant, but then remove egg allergen and change the diet labels.
  • Use ripe tomatoes for the best balance of sweetness and acidity.

Storing and reheating

Keeps three days in the fridge and is good cold or at room temperature. The egg makes it less suitable for freezing. If you want to prepare ahead, char and mash the aubergine — that keeps two days and is the slow part.