2 large aubergines (750g)
about 300ml sunflower oil
4 slices of good-quality white bread, toasted, or fresh and moist mini-pitas
⅔ recipe for Tahini sauce
4 medium free-range eggs, hard-boiled and cut into 1cm thick slices or quartered
about 4 tbsp Zhoug
amba or savoury mango pickle (optional)
salt and black pepper

Chopped Salad
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1cm dice (200g)
2 mini cucumbers, cut into 1cm dice (120g)
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1½ tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp lemon juice
1½ tbsp olive oil

Use a vegetable peeler to peel away strips of aubergine skin from top to bottom, leaving the aubergines with alternating strips of black skin and white flesh, zebra-like.
Cut both aubergines widthways into 2.5cm thick slices.
Sprinkle them with salt on both sides, then spread out on a tray for at least 30 minutes to remove some water.
Use kitchen paper to wipe them.

Heat up the sunflower oil in a wide frying pan.
Carefully – the oil spits — fry the aubergine in batches until nice and dark, turning once, about 6-8 minutes in total. Add oil if needed as you cook the batches.
When done, the aubergine pieces should be completely tender in the centre.
Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

Make the chopped salad by mixing together all the ingredients and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, place one slice of bread or pita on each plate.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of the tahini sauce over each slice, then arrange the aubergine slices on top, overlapping.
Drizzle over some more tahini but without completely covering the aubergines.
Season each egg slice with salt and pepper and arrange over the aubergine.
Drizzle some more tahini on top and spoon over as much zhoug as you like; be careful, it's hot!
Spoon over mango pickle as well, if you like.
Serve the vegetable salad on the side, spooning some on top of every sabih if you like.