Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them cut side down in the pan.
Roast until the interior is very tender and the skin is loose, about 35 minutes. Turn oven to broil and char skin for that smokey flavor, 6-8 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes to cool.
Scoop the flesh out of each eggplant, discarding the skins, and place in a colander or sieve over a bowl to drain for 30 minutes.
Place drained eggplant in either a bowl to mix by hand, or a food processor to mix. Add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, yogurt (optional), salt and cumin and mix well. If slightly bitter add more salt to taste.
Serve in a shallow bowl with a drizzle of the olive oil and topped with the pomegranate and herbs. Perfect to eat with vegetables and pita for dipping.
Video
Notes
After roasting the eggplant you should have about 1 pound of cooked flesh. If bitter, season with salt to taste. If you'd like to roast or smoke the eggplants, preheat the grill to high heat, 450° to 550°F. Add the whole eggplants and cook on all sides until softened and roasted, about 25 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley's cookbook, Falastin.