Sabich

Method

1. Trim the eggplant and cut it into 1 cm thick rounds. Spread them on a rack or colander, sprinkle both sides evenly with the salt and leave for 20 min. This draws out bitter juices, so the slices absorb less oil and turn creamy inside.

   Add in this stepEggplant (aubergine) 300 gSalt (for the eggplant) 1 tsp

2. Meanwhile, fill a 16 cm pot with enough water to cover the eggs by 3 cm and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the eggs in gently with a ladle, reduce to medium heat and simmer for 10 min. Move them straight into iced water, then peel once cool. The yolks should be fully set.

   Add in this stepEggs 2

   high heat→medium heat

3. Salad: dice the tomato, cucumber and red onion very small, about 5 mm, and chop the parsley. Toss with half the lemon juice, the olive oil and the salt. The finer the dice, the better it sits in the pita.

   Add in this stepTomato 1Small cucumber 1Red onion ¼Flat-leaf parsley 10 gLemon (for juice) ¼Extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbspSalt (for the salad) 1 pinch

4. Tahini sauce: stir the tahini, finely grated garlic, the rest of the lemon juice and the salt together in a bowl. Beat in the ice water a tablespoon at a time. It will seize and thicken at first, then loosen into a pale, creamy sauce that runs slowly off a spoon.

   Add in this stepTahini (sesame paste) 3 tbspGarlic clove (for the sauce) ½Lemon (for juice) ¼Ice-cold water 3 tbspSalt (for the sauce) 1 pinch

5. Press the eggplant slices firmly with paper towels until completely dry; any water left makes the oil spit. Pour oil 1.5 cm deep into a deep 24 cm frying pan and heat over medium-high heat for 5 min to 175 °C. Without a thermometer, drop in a scrap of eggplant: it should sizzle with lively bubbles at once. Never leave hot oil unattended.

   Add in this stepOil for frying 350 ml

   medium-high heat

6. Fry the eggplant in batches, only as many slices as fit in one layer (number of batches: 2). Lay them in gently, away from you, adjust the heat to medium heat and fry for 3 min per side, until deep golden brown on both sides and soft enough for a chopstick to slide in. Drain on paper towels or a rack. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat at once.

   medium heat

7. Turn off the heat under the oil and leave the pan until completely cold. Warm the pitas in a dry pan over medium heat for 30 sec per side, then cut off the top and open the pocket. Spread tahini inside, layer in eggplant, sliced egg, salad and pickles, then drizzle generously with amba and more tahini and serve at once.

   Add in this stepPita breads (pocket type, 16–18 cm) 2Amba (pickled mango sauce) 2 tbspSour cucumber pickles, sliced 60 g

   medium heat