Admittedly, most of the well-known Israeli food is not originally Israeli, as almost all popular Israeli food, like Falafel, Hummus, Sachlav, and many others, were actually invented in several other Middle Eastern countries, and simply developed and redefined in Israel. However, one of the only rare dishes that are actually Israeli at heart, and were fully invented in Israel, is the Sabich, a great mix of delicious ingredients all wrapped up in one pita bread, creating a great flavorful experience. Here is everything you should know about eating Sabich in Israel.
How the first Sabich was made
Sabich is a Jewish-Iraqi folk dish that has gained wide traction in Israel. The ingredients of the sabich constitute the traditional breakfast of Iraqi Jews on Saturday mornings: boiled egg, fried eggplant, and a salad. However, the sabich in Israel differs from this meal in that all the ingredients are put into a pita bread, unlike the traditional meal, where the ingredients were served on a large platter.
Sabich name origin
There is somewhat of an argument about the name origin of sabich. One of the most common versions is that the name comes from the name of the first person who sold it in Israel, Sabich Halavi, who had the sabich stall in Ramat Gan.
Another version of the name is that it comes from the word Sabach which means morning in Arabic because Iraqi Jews used to eat the dish in the morning.
Another version, which is very popular among young Israelis, is that the origin of the name is the Hebrew initials of “salad, egg, eggplant”, “salad, egg, more eggplant” or “salad, egg, vegetables, eggplant”.
Best places for Sabich in Israel
While you can find Sabich in many places in Israel, unlike most other Israeli dishes, most of the best sabich places are centered around Tel Aviv. Here are some of the best places for visitors looking to have a delicious sabich in Israel.
Sabich Frishman
Sabich Frishman is the most successful and popular Sabich place in Israel, and recently even became a chain. The original place, located on Frishman Street in Central Tel Aviv, near Dizengoff Street, remains a focal point of pilgrimage for Sabich lovers, as you can tell by the constant queue outside the hole-in-the-wall restaurant.
While Sabich Frishman offers many different versions of the dish, we would mostly recommend the classic version, with the perfect eggplant, salad, greens, delicious amba sauce, tahini, onion, and egg that go into the pita bread with extra generosity.
Other than that, after trying the original version, we wouldn’t blame you if you got back for a second time and tried their delicious cheesy version.
Sabich Hakosem (the magician)
Sabich Hakosem has added much uniqueness to the casual experience of taking a stuffed pita on the go and is considered to have created a revolution in the Tel Aviv street food scene. From a small and meticulous booth, the place expanded into a local street food hall, and while maintaining a very high culinary level. In the background, chill-out music is played in the style of Ibiza, as the appealing dishes around are pleasing to the eye and the service makes the experience especially pleasant and delicious.
The highlight of the wonderful sabich Hakosem is the eggplants with their thin and crispy skin, which are skillfully arranged next to the other ingredients.
Sabich Tschernihovski
The old, unpretentious stand, located not far from the Carmel Market – is the place that many Tel Aviv foodies will say is the best sabich in Israel. The eggplants here are particularly soft, the flavors are refined and the dish looks particularly impressive, creating one of the best Sabich places you can ever find.
Boulangerie 96
Boulangerie 96, located not far from Sarona, is a very popular bakery that offers several creative versions of sabich, including sabich in a croissant, a sabich pizza, and even a dessert version of sabich. While eating the sabich here won’t be an accurate representation of the dish, it’s a great place to visit for advanced foodies, who have tried the original version and crave something more unique and colorful.
How to make Sabich at home
Ingredients
For the eggplants
- 2 eggplants – cut into slices
- 1 tablespoon of table salt
- water as needed
- For frying: canola oil
For the salad
- 2 tomatoes – chopped
- 2 aromatic cucumbers – chopped
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1/2 lemon – juice only
For the tahini
- 1/2 cup of raw tahini
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 lemon – juice only
To assemble the dish
- 1 box of cucumbers in vinegar (optional)
- 1 onion – chopped
- 1 cup of chopped parsley
- 100 grams of amba (optional)
- 500 grams of hummus spread
- 4 eggs – hard-boiled and sliced into thick slices
- 5 pita breads
Preparation
For the eggplants
1. Place the eggplant slices with the salt in a bowl.
2. Add water up to half the height of the eggplants and mix.
3. Let it soak for about an hour.
4. After soaking, add water to clean the eggplants from the remaining salt.
5. Place the canola oil in a small pan and heat it.
6. Squeeze 4-5 slices of eggplant and add them to the pan with the oil.
7. Fry on both sides until the eggplants turn brown.
For the salad
In a bowl, place the tomatoes and cucumbers with a tablespoon of olive oil, juice squeezed from half a lemon, and half a teaspoon of black pepper and mix.
For the tahini
Place the tahini with the water, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl and mix until a thick sauce is obtained.
To assemble the dish
1. Slice the pita bread and spread the amba on it.
2. Fill each pita with fried eggplants, vegetable salad, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, and parsley.
3. Sprinkle the tahini over each pita and serve.
