Ingredients
For the sauce
- ¾ tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2½ tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
- 2½-3 tbsp 10g finely chopped parsley
- 1½ green chillies finely chopped
For the toppings
- 2 aubergines cut in half lengthways (500g)
- 60 ml olive oil
- 4 eggs
- ½ large cucumber deseeded and chopped into 1½cm cubes (220g)
- 2 tomatoes chopped into roughly 1½cm cubes (200g)
- 1 small red onion peeled and thinly sliced (90g)
- 2½-3 tbsp 10g finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the hummus
- 650 g cooked chickpeas warmed through
- 120 g tahini
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 60 g ice cubes
To serve
- Pitta / Flat breads
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9.
- For the sauce, put the fenugreek and coriander seeds in a small frying pan on medium-high heat and toast for three minutes, until fragrant. Add the turmeric, toast for 20 seconds more, then transfer to a spice grinder and blitz to a fine powder. Tip into a bowl, add the sugar, a quarter-teaspoon of salt, the lemon juice and 75ml water, and whisk to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes, to thicken, then stir in the parsley and chilli.
- Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to score a cross-hatch pattern on the cut side of each aubergine half. Put the aubergines halves on a medium oven tray lined with baking paper, scatter over three tablespoons of oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange the aubergines cut side up on the tray, roast for 35-40 minutes, until deeply golden and soft, then keep warm until ready to serve.
- Put all the hummus ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, add three tablespoons of cold water and half a teaspoon of salt, then blitz for about two minutes, until smooth and the ice has broken down into the mix.
- Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Carefully lower in the eggs, simmer for five minutes, then drain, run under cold water to cool and peel.
- In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, lemon juice, the remaining tablespoon of oil, a third of a teaspoon of salt and some pepper.
- Spread out the hummus on four medium plates, making a slight well in the centre. Drizzle with the fenugreek sauce, lightly mixing some of it into the hummus. Top each plate with some salad, an aubergine half and a soft-boiled egg, break the eggs open to expose the runny yolk, season the insides and serve.
Notes
If you have the time, soak and cook your own chickpeas, but if not, good-quality jarred ones will do. This is loosely based on sabih, the popular Israeli sandwich of hummus, aubergine, egg, chopped salad and amba, a mango-and-fenugreek sauce. Serve with warm pita to make it a complete meal.
