Israeli sabich vibrant street food (Printer-Friendly)

Warm pita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, tahini, and fresh Israeli salad for a satisfying meal.

# What You'll 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 let sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.
02 - Lightly dredge eggplant slices in flour. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant until golden brown, about 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. Cool in ice water, peel, and slice.
04 - Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss well.
05 - Whisk together tahini paste, water, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt until smooth. Adjust water for desired consistency.
06 - Warm pita breads and slice open to create pockets.
07 - Fill each pita with fried eggplant, sliced eggs, Israeli salad, and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Add amba, pickles, hot sauce, and cilantro as desired.
08 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, turning humble eggplant into something worthy of your best dinner guests.
  • Every component can be prepped ahead, so you're really just frying and assembling when hunger hits.
  • One sandwich keeps you full for hours, and the leftovers actually taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Salt your eggplant and give it time to weep—this step isn't optional, and it's the difference between crispy and soggy when they hit the oil.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when frying; give each slice room to turn golden, or they'll steam instead of fry.
  • Make your tahini sauce smooth and pourable by adding water slowly—it's easier to thin out than to thicken up.
  • Warm everything—the pita, the eggplant, the eggs—because sabich is meant to be eaten hot and the textures change completely when it cools.
03 -
  • If you only have one skillet, get your eggplant frying first while your eggs boil, then assemble everything once both are done—multitasking pays off here.
  • Wrap the finished sabich tightly in paper or foil so all the components stay warm and the tahini sauce has time to seep into everything without making the pita soggy.
  • Keep your oil hot enough that eggplant sizzles immediately when it hits the pan, or you'll end up with oily rather than crispy slices.
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