Aye Chef - Cooking with style

Sabich, one of the most popular local sandwich combos, is actually the name of a gentleman of Iraqi origin who owned a small kiosk in the town of Ramat-Gan. Sabich did not invent anything. All he did was combine some of the foods enjoyed by Iraqi Jews following Saturday morning services at synagogue, stuff it all into a pita, and offer it to the general public. Today, sabich is served even in classy cafes, where focaccia or sourdough bread replace the pita but the filling remains the same.

Ingredients

• Thin eggplant slices, salted, drained and washed
• Oil for deep-frying
• Hard-boiled eggs, sliced (preferably brown)
• Amba (Iraqi mango chutney)
• Hummus spread or tahini dip
• Fresh pita

Deep-fry the eggplant slices until dark brown. Remove from the oil, drain, and thoroughly soak up the excess oil with paper towel. Alternatively, instead of deep frying, you can put the eggplant on a barbecue or put it in the oven until very soft. The point is to make the insides all mushy, but be very careful when you open it, since the insides are very hot.

Spread tahini or hummus (preferably both) on the inside of a pita, stuff with fried eggplant slices and sliced hard-boiled egg, drip some amba on top, add finely diced vegetable (cucumber and tomato) salad, slices of boiled potatoes and enjoy!

Amba
Bright yellow, hot and aromatic, Iraqi amba may be hard to find outside of Israel. It can be substituted by harissa or another hot condiment. Indian mango chutney is an option, as long as it is spicy.

Brown Eggs
You can use plain hard-boiled eggs, but the real sabich requires this nutty tasting, mahogany-colored Iraqi specialty. Preparation is easy: line a wide pot with a thick layer of onion skins (you’ll need plenty — the greengrocer should give them to you for nothing), hang a couple of tea bags inside the pot, arrange the eggs on the onion skins, pour hot water to cover, season with salt and pepper, and cook uncovered for an hour. Use an old pot because the skins and the tea will color the metal.

Based on article by Janna Gur.