Rough-Chopped Salad with Yogurt and Dukkah
I like to keep the vegetables in this salad big, all the better for tasting the difference in textures and taste among carrots, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, kohlrabi, and whatever else I have available or decide to throw in that day. Next to it I put a bowl of Egyptian-inspired dukkah, my favorite all-purpose topping. Toasted hazelnuts and whole spices, sesame seeds, a hint of sugar, and a generous lashing of salt are all ground up into a Middle Eastern umami mix. Make a double batch, because it’s killer sprinkled on popcorn, fish, or swirled into a bowl of olive oil as a dip for bread.
Serving size varies
Active Time: 20 minutes (if you’ve already made the dukkah)
Total Time: 20 minutes
Tomatoes
Kohlrabi
Cucumbers
Carrots
Radishes
Scallion greens
Yogurt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Make sure you have the dukkah prepared before you begin making this recipe. Coarsely chop the vegetables to your desired size. Spread some yogurt on a plate or in a bowl, put the vegetables on top, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and top with as much dukkah as you like (which I predict will be a lot).
Kohlrabi
Though the name might sound like it has origins in the Middle East, it’s actually German, and the word actually means “turnip cabbage,” which should give you a heads-up on what to expect taste-wise. Widely available in Israel, kohlrabi is still relatively new to Western palates. Delicious raw, in soups, or roasted, its earthy, sweet flavor stays true in any preparation. When preparing kohlrabi, peel off a little more of the skin than you think you need to; it’s got a fibrous layer that’s virtually invisible but can be tough even when cooked.
