For the sumac onions: pack the sliced onion into a lidded 400ml jar. Add the sumac and set aside. Put the vinegar with 100ml water, the lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until the salt dissolves. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions, cover and give them a gentle shake. The onions are ready to eat the next day, though they’ll keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

Place eggplants in a large bowl. Mix well with 40ml of the oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until completely softened and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the eggplants are roasting, make the sauce. Put the remaining oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium–high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes, until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, green chilli, chilli flakes, spices and tomato paste and cook for another minute, or until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, fava beans, 300ml water, 1¼ teaspoons of salt and a good grind of pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Add the eggplant chunks and cook for a further 3 minutes. Stir in the coriander, then reduce the heat to medium–low. Make four wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each well. Use a fork to gently swirl the egg whites a little bit, taking care not to break the yolks. Simmer gently for 7–8 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. You can cover the pan with a lid for the last few minutes to speed up the process.

Leave to settle and cool for a couple of minutes, then garnish with the sumac onions, coriander, a drizzle of olive oil and a little salt on the eggs.