A Middle Eastern main meal isn't complete without a salad being present. Most of the time it is a basic salad of chopped vegetables that are dressed very simply with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar (see Middle Eastern Salad (Salata) on page 47), but some meals call for a special salad. For example, Fish Pilaf with Caramelized Onion (Sayadieh bil Samek) (page 86) is frequently paired with Chopped Salad with Sesame Dressing (Salatit Tahina) (page 47), since tahini goes so nicely with fish, and Upside-Down Rice Casserole (Maqluba) (page 114) is often served with Cucumber Yogurt Salad (Laban bil Khiear) (page 43), which not only adds great flavor to the steaming hot rice, but also helps cool it down. Other salads are useful for using up leftovers, such as stale bread used in Herb Salad with Tangy Dressing and Croutons (Fattoush) (page 48). Chickpeas leftover from making Falafel (Felafil) (page 81) or Hummus (Hummous bil Tahina or M'sebaha) (page 79) can be used in Chickpea Salad with Lemony Mint Salad Dressing (Salatit Hommous) (page 40).
Chickpea Salad with Lemony Mint Salad Dressing
SALATIT HOMMOUS
This is a rustic bean salad that’s brightened with the flavor of parsley, lemon, and garlic. The mint adds a refreshing touch without being overpowering; if you don’t have fresh mint on hand, you can use a teaspoon or so of crushed, dried mint. Canned chickpeas work just fine here, but if you have the time, you can cook up a batch of dried chickpeas to use (see Cooking Dried Beans and Lentils, page 11).
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
1 batch Lemony Mint Salad Dressing (page 28)
Two (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced
2 sprigs fresh mint leaves, minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Prepare Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
2 Combine the dressing, chickpeas, parsley, and mint leaves in a large bowl; season with pepper.
3 Chill until ready to serve.
Colorful Cabbage Salad with Lemony Mint Salad Dressing
SALATIT MALFOOF
Cabbage makes this salad hearty and filling; also, it makes this salad a bit sturdier, as cabbage tends not to wilt as fast as lettuce-based salads.
Serves 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
1 batch Lemony Mint Salad Dressing (page 28)
½ small head Savoy or green cabbage (about ½ lb/250 g), halved, core removed, and chopped into thin shreds
½ small head red cabbage (about ½ lb/250 g), halved, core removed, and chopped into thin shreds
3 tomatoes, diced
4 green onions (scallions), white and green parts thinly sliced
3 sprigs fresh mint, minced
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Prepare Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
2 Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
3 Serve immediately.
SALATIT SHAMANDER BIL TAHINA
Beets are so naturally sweet that they’re perfectly accentuated by a tangy Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 8 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
1 lb (500 g) fresh beets, stems trimmed
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ bunch of fresh parsley, minced
½ batch Lemony Mint Salad Dressing (page 28)
Salt, to taste
1 Prepare Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
2 Put the beet in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm). Cover the saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn the heat down and cook until tender (a paring knife should slide right in and out), about 20 to 30 minutes; drain the beets and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool.
3 Peel the beet (the skin should easily peel right off if you rub it), and then dice.
4 toss the beet with all remaining ingredients and season with salt; chill until serving.
VARIATION
Beet Salad with Tahini Dressing
1 lb (500 g) fresh beets, stems trimmed
½ batch Sesame Sauce (page 25)
Salt, to taste
1 Prepare the Sesame Sauce.
2 Put the beet in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm). Cover the saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn the heat down and simmer until tender (a paring knife should slide right in and out), about 20 to 30 minutes; drain the beets and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool.
3 Peel the beet (the skin should easily peel right off if you rub it), and then dice.
4 toss the beet with the Sesame Sauce and season with salt; chill until serving.
Cucumber Yogurt Salad
LABAN BIL KHIEAR
This salad is commonly used as a condiment for rice dishes, such as upside-Down Rice Casserole (page 114). It’s spooned on top of hot rice cooling it down, and adding a nice creamy tang.
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
2 Persian or Japanese cucumbers (or ½ of a regular cucumber), finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed in a mortar and pestle with ¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups (500 ml) plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ bunch fresh mint leaves, minced (or 2 teaspoons dried crushed mint)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
Salt, to taste
1 Stir together all ingredients; season with additional salt as desired.
2 Refrigerate until serving.
SALATIT BATINJAN
Since it’s roasted, the flavor of eggplant in this salad is very mellow; if you prefer, the eggplant can be grilled for a nice smoky flavor. The sweetness of the tomato and the tart lemon dressing balance the flavors nicely.
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes, plus 15 minutes for the eggplant to cool
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
1 medium globe eggplant (¾ lb/350 g) globe eggplant
½ batch Lemony Mint Salad Dressing (page 28)
1 large tomato, diced
½ green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 small onion, minced
½ bunch fresh parsley leaves, minced with a couple of leaves reserved for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Prepare Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
2 Preheat oven to 400˚ F (200˚ C). Pierce the eggplant a few times with a sharp knife, transfer to a sheet pan, and roast until soft, about 40 minutes. (Alternatively, the whole eggplant can be grilled until tender.) when it’s cool enough to handle, cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Coarsely chop and transfer the flesh to a mesh sieve; press out extra water with a spoon.
3 Combine the drained eggplant, dressing, tomato, bell pepper, onion, and parsley in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
4 transfer the eggplant mixture to a large, shallow serving dish, then top with the reserved parsley leaves; serve.
Tabbouleh
PARSLEY SALAD WITH BULGUR WHEAT
There are a whole lot of flavors going on in this salad, but really, it’s all about the parsley…and the parsley in this salad is all about the technique. In order to keep it fresh and crisp, the parsley is washed, completely dried, and then cut into very thin confetti-like strips, called a chiffonade (see Chiffonading herbs, page 10). The best tool for this job is a very sharp paring knife.
Serves 6
Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 0 minutes
3 bunches (1 lb/500 g) fresh parsley
½ cup (100 g) fine-ground bulgur wheat
1 cup (250 ml) hot water
Juice of 2-3 lemons (about ½ cup/125 ml)
¾ cup (185 ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh mint leaves, minced
1 onion, minced
3 tomatoes, diced
Romaine lettuce leaves, for serving
1 wash the parsley and completely dry it. Holding them by the stems, gather a handful of parsley leaves together in one hand. Roll the leaves tightly together and use a sharp paring knife to cut them into thin strips. Repeat this process until all the parsley is chopped.
2 Put the bulgur in a medium bowl and pour the water on top; soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain the bulgur in a fine mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract the excess water. Fluff the bulgur with a fork.
3 whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Gently combine the parsley, bulgur, mint, onion, tomato, and dressing in a large bowl.
4 transfer to a serving bowl and serve with lettuce leaves to scoop up the salad.
SALATA
This is the everyday salad that’s present at most meals; anywhere in the Middle East, if you ask for a salad without specifying what kind, this is what you’re likely to get.
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
½ batch LemonyMint Salad Dressing (page 28)
1 cucumber (or 3 to 4 Persian or Japanese cucumbers), diced
1 onion, minced
1 lb (500 g) tomatoes, diced (about 4 medium tomatoes)
1 bunch fresh parsley, minced
4 sprigs fresh mint, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Prepare Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
2 Stir together all ingredients; serve.
VARIATION
Chopped Salad with Sesame Dressing
SALATIT TAHINA
1/3 cup (80 g) tahini
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or 1/8 teaspoon powdered citric acid/lemon salt)
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
1 English cucumber (or 3 to 4 Persian or Japanese cucumbers), diced
1 onion, minced
1 lb (500 g) tomatoes, diced (about 4 medium tomatoes)
1 bunch fresh parsley, minced
4 sprigs fresh mint, minced
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 whisk together the tahini and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
2 whisk in the water drop-by-drop at first, and then in a thin drizzle (the sauce will thicken at first and then thin into a nice pourable consistency).
3 Stir the tahini dressing together with all remaining ingredients (except the olive oil) in a medium bowl; refrigerate until serving (it’s best to let it chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend).
4 Right before serving, drizzle the olive oil on top.
Spiced Cheese Salad
SALATIT SHANKLEESH
In this salad, the richness of the cheese pairs beautifully with the flavor of fresh vegetables. This dish is wonderful when scooped up with flatbread or spread on crackers. It’s a common breakfast dish, but is also an elegant addition to any maza platter.
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
1 portion Spiced Cheese Ball (page 69)
1 tomato, diced
2 green onions (scallions), white and green parts thinly sliced
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Flatbread (for serving)
1 Prepare Spiced Cheese Ball.
2 Crumble the cheese into the bottom of a shallow serving dish.
3 Scatter the tomato and onion on top, then drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle on the parsley.
4 Serve immediately with flatbread.
Herb Salad with Tangy Dressing and Croutons
FATTOUSH
Fattoush is my all-time favorite salad. It’s full of fresh herbs like parsley and mint, which thrill the taste buds and give this salad a bright, refreshing flavor. In addition to fresh herbs, another traditional component of Fattoush is purslane (also see called mâché, lamb’s tongue, or lamb’s lettuce), which is a unique leafy green with a slightly nutty flavor and a hint of bitterness. My mother-in-law likes to dress this salad in the traditional Syrian style with a simple combination of garlic, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil—without sumac and/or pomegranate molasses, which are common additions these days. The last component that really makes this salad Fattoush is croutons, which is the perfect use for stale bread.
The croutons for this salad are made of flatbread and can be prepared in three different ways: oil-fried, toasted, or oven-dried.
Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes (to make the croutons)
1 batch Lemony Mint Salad Dressing (page 28)
1 large (or 2 small) Arabic flatbread, made into croutons (see the headnote)
1 bunch purslane (see purslane on page 22)
½ bunch fresh parsley
¼ bunch fresh mint
1 head Romaine lettuce, shredded
4 green onions (scallions), white and green parts thinly sliced
2 Persian or Japanese cucumbers (or ½ of a regular cucumber), diced
2 tomatoes, diced and briefly drained in a colander if very watery
1 Prepare the Lemony Mint Salad Dressing.
2 Pull the leaves off the herbs and discard the stems. If the leaves are bite-sized, leave them as is; if they are larger than bite-sized, tear them into smaller pieces.
3 to make the croutons, fry the bread in oil, pour a generous coating of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bread and fry briefly until light golden brown on both sides, flipping once. Transfer the fried bread to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Cool bread completely, and then break into bite-sized pieces.
4 to toast the bread, preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and toss with a little olive oil. Spread out in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring the bread once halfway through.
5 to dry the bread in the oven, preheat the oven to 250˚F (120˚C). Put the whole bread directly onto the oven rack and bake until brittle but not burned, about 15 minutes, flipping once. Cool the bread completely, and then break into bite-sized pieces.
6 Gently toss all the salad ingredients with the dressing and croutons in a large bowl. Serve immediately.
