Janna Gur 

Ingredients (makes 2 pounds)

• 1 large eggplant, diced

• 3 peppers (red, green and yellow), diced

• 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced

• 3 cloves garlic

• 4 ripe tomatoes, halved and sliced

• Oil for deep frying

• 3/4 cup tomato paste

• ¼ cup water

• ½ teaspoon Zhug, Harissa or other spicy condiment

• Salt and ground white pepper

• 1 tablespoon vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry each vegetable (excluding the tomatoes) separately until it is golden-brown. Drain on paper towels to absorb the excess oil and transfer to a bowl.

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan, fry the tomatoes with the garlic for about 5 minutes and transfer to the bowl with the rest of the vegetables.

In the same pan, fry the tomato paste with 3 tablespoons oil, while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Add ¼ cup water, hot condiment, salt and white pepper, vinegar and sugar and cook for about three minutes.

Pour the sauce over the vegetables in the bowl and stir gently, so as not to crush the vegetables.

Allow the salad to cool and absorb all the flavors, and keep refrigerated. On the following day, the taste and texture will change and the salad may be served as a starter or in a sandwich.