Ingredients

Eggplant, two medium (about 500 gr)
Bell pepper, two good size (about 300 gr)
Red onion, one
Garlic, 3 cloves, crushed
Cooking oil, 2 tablespoons
Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons. (Optional: a similar amount of pepper paste)
Good olive oil, 1/4 cup
Salt, 1 teaspoon plus more to taste
Black pepper and/or chile pepper, optional, to taste
One lemon or two limes
Pomegranate molasses, 2 tablespoons or more to taste
Cumin, ground, 2 teaspoons
Coriander, ground, 1/2 teaspoon
Za’atar or other herbs of choice, to taste

Method

Cook and peel the eggplants and peppers (or you can use roasted peppers from a jar). You can char them on an open flame, cook them under a very hot grill or on a barbecue, or roast them in a hot oven (if you still want the nice smoky flavor, you can use liquid smoke flavoring). Chop the eggplant into small chunks (about 1 cm) and the bell pepper into dice (about 5 mm)
Finely chop the onion and saute it in oil for just a minute, until it just loses its raw edge
Add the cumin and coriander (and black pepper or hot pepper if using) and continue sauteing for another minute or so
Mix the tomato paste (and, if using, pepper paste) with the juice of your lemon or limes and add this mixture to the onions. Continue sauteing for another couple of minutes
Add the eggplant and salt and saute for another couple of minutes
Stir in the bell pepper and the garlic. Turn off the heat and transfer to a bowl
Add pomegranate molasses, good olive oil, and za’atar (or others herbs of choice) and more salt to taste
Serve cool or at room temperature

Note: To make the more common, northern, form of ikra, add a cup or so of tomato sauce after step 5 and cook slowly for a good half hour. Season with salt and serve. To make the Levantine form, follow the recipe as written.