Also called Persian salad or Turkish salad. It’s a salad made all over the Middle East. It’s basic ingredients are cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, dressed with an oil and lemon juice dressing with salt and pepper. Very simple. And very versatile. There is no kind of leaf in this salad. Lettuces don’t grow well in hot climates.
Ingredients:
1 English cucumber, cubed (Don’t peel it!)
Tomatoes (enough to be about the same volume as the cucumber when cubed. This will depend on the size and variety of tomatoes you use.)
1 medium red onion (or yellow or white or Vidalia or a couple of scallions)
1 bell pepper of any color
4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
Juice from one small lemon or half a large one
1/2 cup (30 g) chopped, fresh parsley
Directions:
Cut the veggies. You can dice them really small or chop them bigger, whatever you wish.
Add the oil and the lemon juice.
Sprinkle the parsley over it all and toss the salad.
Options and extras:
- You can use cilantro (fresh coriander) or mint instead of or in addition to parsley.
- You can use a thick-skinned cucumber, but do peel it.
- You can add other things, such as grated carrot, diced radishes, pine nuts (or other nuts), sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or even cheese! (Crumbled feta works well.)