Israeli Sabich with Eggplant (Printable version)

Warm pita pockets stuffed with fried eggplant, tahini sauce, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh Israeli salad.

# What you need:

→ Eggplant

01 - 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

→ Eggs

05 - 4 large eggs

→ Israeli Salad

06 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
07 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
08 - 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Tahini Sauce

13 - 1/2 cup tahini paste
14 - 1/4 cup water
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - Salt, to taste

→ Assembly

18 - 4 large pita breads
19 - 1/2 cup pickled mango sauce (amba), optional
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
21 - 1/4 cup pickles, sliced (optional)
22 - Hot sauce, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and allow to rest for 15 minutes to extract moisture. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
02 - Lightly coat eggplant slices with all-purpose flour. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Fry eggplant until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
03 - Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Transfer to ice water to cool, then peel and slice.
04 - Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, chopped parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss thoroughly to blend flavors.
05 - Whisk tahini paste, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Adjust water quantity to achieve desired sauce consistency.
06 - Warm pita breads gently, then slice open to form pockets suitable for stuffing.
07 - Fill each pita pocket with fried eggplant, sliced eggs, Israeli salad, and drizzle tahini sauce over. Add amba, pickles, hot sauce, and garnish with chopped cilantro as preferred.
08 - Serve immediately while warm for optimal taste and texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day building layers of flavor.
  • The contrast of crispy eggplant against creamy tahini and bright, crunchy vegetables is genuinely addictive.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels equally satisfying whether you're eating it for lunch or feeding a crowd.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, then assembled in minutes when hunger strikes.
02 -
  • The eggplant will keep frying even after you take it off the heat, so pull it out a shade lighter than you think it should be, or it'll turn bitter and tough.
  • Tahini sauce breaks if you don't whisk it properly—it'll separate and look curdled, but another quick whisk usually brings it back together, so don't panic.
  • Don't build your sandwiches ahead of time; everything needs to be warm and the vegetables need to be freshly dressed or the whole thing gets soggy.
03 -
  • Toast your pita in a dry skillet for just 30 seconds per side to warm it and create a slight crust that holds up better to all those juicy components.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, set up an assembly line with all components ready to go, and let people customize their own—some want more tahini, some want extra hot sauce, and everyone stays happy.
  • Leftover fried eggplant reheats beautifully in a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes, so you can fry ahead if you need to, though it's never quite as good as fresh.
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