The most important principle in concocting a successful salad is fresh prime produce. This is where door-to-door selling by the women from the villages is really missed: to have a fresh tomato for breakfast right off the bush is a luxury one can only look back on. Fortunately, many products are still cultivated the traditional way and some select local vegetable and fruit stores sell them on a regular basis. But going traditional also means limiting oneself to seasonal produce and facing the challenge of inventiveness and resourcefulness.
Herbs are used profusely, especially mint, parsley, thyme, rosemary and coriander. Many of them grow wild and, like thyme and rosemary, can grow in rocky areas, but most homes prefer to grow their own herbs. A typical garden must feature a lemon tree, a grapevine trellis, a herb patch and the ubiquitous jasmine with its white, very fragrant flowers. The notion of cultivation for home consumption underlies every garden design and can be explained by two factors, the one practical and the other cultural. Given the perennial rationing of water and sporadic periods of severe water shortage, a garden for aesthetic enjoyment is a luxury that very few can afford. The other explanation is the vestige of an essentially fallahin culture that has persisted in spite of the dramatic demographic changes of the last fifty years and the rise in urbanisation, and has perpetuated the notion of cultivation for private home consumption in the urban centres and their peripheries.
Garlic and onion are essentials in the preparation of most salads and their use, quite typical of the Mediterranean basin, might be considered somewhat heavy-handed by western standards. It is best to use the quantities indicated in the recipes before deciding on reducing – or increasing – the quantities, then they can be adjusted to individual tastes if it is still considered necessary.
Olive oil is an essential ingredient in most salads. Not only is it an indispensable source of nourishment, it also moisturises dry and pasty salads such as hummos, and attenuates the sharpness of others such as m’tabbal, which is based on grilled aubergines.
The salads presented in the following section fall under three categories according to the method of preparation: raw, cooked or dip-like. For some, preparation is simple and quick but many are elaborate and require some fine chopping that is time-consuming. Do not even think of using a food processor or any other mechanical device for the chopping since the outcome is sure to be a parody of the real thing. In spite of the time and pain invested, once served these salads are the epitome of refinement, flavour and enjoyment!
Mezze refers to the assortment of sample dishes offered as a first course at formal meals, and includes a whole array of salads accompanied by relishes and hot appetisers. This tradition of assorted hors d’oeuvres is typical of most countries of the Mediterranean basin where mezze is consumed leisurely over hours of nibbling and sampling and dipping with bread. Such meals are associated with easy living, languid after-meal siestas or long summer evenings stretched out by endless puffs on the nargileh; they also disguise the time and effort invested in the preparation of a respectable mezze worthy of the name!
The intensification of travel since the sixties and sustained exposure to different cultures and different foods have brought on inevitable developments that have, for the most, further enriched the local appetisers. New ingredients have been added and new dishes introduced but the base remains unquestionably Palestinian and no display deserves the title of mezze without the presence of de rigueur plates such as hummos, m’tabbal, beetroot salad or fried aubergines with labaneh and pine nuts.
A good mezze should balance out an assortment of raw and cooked vegetable salads, grain salads and mou’ajjanat, pastry-based hot hors d’oeuvres. The variety can be substantial enough to stand as a full meal. Unfortunately, what average local restaurants usually offer is but a meagre representation of what can come out of a home kitchen where nafs and good ‘fingertips’ can whip up a variety of dishes that remain unknown to the passing visitor. To the hostess, the advantage of serving mezze at a seated or buffet dinner is that the various plates are all served at once, allowing her to enjoy the company of her guests without having to hover through a major part of the meal.
Most of the quantities indicated for each salad are enough for four persons, which makes it practical to include them within an assortment of mezze.
Raheb means monk. Since the origin of this salad’s name remains unknown, salatet el-raheb is believed to have been imported from Syria or Lebanon. This recipe can be accomplished by grilling the aubergines either on a stove top or in the oven. I very much prefer to put them in an old-fashioned aluminium pan – the first method.
3 large aubergines (about 900 g/2 lb)
3 tomatoes, red and firm
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing
3–4 garlic cloves
1 hot pepper
½ cup olive oil
3 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
A few mint leaves to garnish
First wash and dry the aubergines without removing the stems, then place them in a pan and grill them on high heat on top of the stove. It is possible to brown them in the oven for some 40 minutes but they do not acquire the same smoky flavour and are therefore less tasty. Turn them on all sides until the skin becomes hard and blackened, ten minutes for each side, making sure not to pierce them in the process so as to preserve the liquid. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the tomatoes and cut them up into small cubes.
Peel the aubergines carefully. The skin comes off quite easily; however, make sure that none of it remains with the now soft interior. Mash the pulp and add the salt and pepper.
Serve in a deep plate and spread the chopped tomatoes over the surface.
Wash the hot pepper and remove the stem and seeds. Peel the garlic. Mash them both with a dash of salt with a heavy pestle and mortar. It is possible to use a food processor, but you have to transfer the mashed garlic and pepper to a pestle to continue. Add the oil gradually, all the time working the mixture and alternating with the lemon juice. The sauce should be smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and spoon out over the tomatoes. Garnish with whole mint leaves around the edges to form a crown.
Easy to prepare and quick to enjoy, this plate is refreshing, wholesome and has a crunchy bite to it! It can be served as an hors d’oeuvre on individual plates for a seated three- or four-course dinner or to add a note of earthy simplicity to a mezze variety.
Baladi aubergines, the most flavoursome coming from the area south of Bethlehem, renowned for its water springs and rich soil, are tender and have a very thin skin but are of short duration. Rihawi aubergines, so called because this variety is largely grown in the Jericho area, are available all year round and are quite tasty.
2 medium rihawi aubergines, or 500 g (1 lb 2oz) baladi
6–8 marrows, preferably baladi
½ cup oil for frying
200 g (7 oz) labaneh
About 60 g (2 oz)
pine nuts
A few lettuce leaves
If you are using the big variety, wash them and wipe dry, peel them if you prefer, although for this salad it is not necessary, then cut them into 1½ cm (½ in) slices. If you are using the baladi, which are small, long and thin, do not peel them, just cut them lengthways once or twice, depending on their thickness and the way you prefer them. Sprinkle them with salt and leave them to sit for half an hour before frying them. Wash and wipe dry the marrows and cut them lengthways into four slices each.
For the frying, you can use the oil of your choice; for years I was using corn or sunflower seed oil, saving the olive oil for salads and dressings. Lately however, because of the inherent toxins released by the different oils at high temperature, I reverted to olive oil. Fry the marrows first, turning them over once after the first side is slightly brown. Place them on kitchen paper to absorb some of the frying oil. Fry the aubergines in the same way and when you are through, discard the remaining oil. Let the vegetables cool to room temperature.
Spread the fried slices in one layer on a large flat serving plate; you can use a bed of lettuce, alternating the aubergines with the marrows. Spoon some labaneh on top of each slice, sprinkle them with the fried pine nuts and serve.
Tips
The aubergines and marrows, fried ahead of time, will have more time to drain any excess oil if you change the kitchen paper at least once. This will give you nice and crisp, non-greasy vegetables.
Large and pulpy, Jericho eggplants, beitinjan rihawi, are ideal for frying or grilling. They are quite sharp when grilled, and intensify the flavour of many salads that accompany meat dishes; the word m’tabbal is the masculine passive form of ‘spicy’. The pungent flavour of the dish is due to the combination of grilled aubergines and garlic.
Together with the hummos, it is a basic component of the mezze. It can be eaten as a dip and goes very well with barbecued meat and kubbeh.
3 large rihawi aubergines
⅓ cup tahineh
⅓ cup unflavoured yoghurt
¼ cup lemon juice
2–3 garlic cloves
1 tbs finely chopped hot pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for serving, quantity according to taste
Parsley, cherry tomatoes and thin slices of lemon for garnish
First wash and dry the aubergines without removing the stems, then put them in a pan and grill them on a high heat on top of the stove. Turn them on all sides until the skin becomes hard and blackened, less than ten minutes for each side, making sure not to pierce them in the process. Set aside to cool.
It is possible to brown the aubergines in the oven for some 40 minutes but they do not acquire the smoky flavour that makes this dish such a special treat.
In a glass bowl, work the tahineh with the lemon juice, adding two tablespoonfuls of water if necessary to obtain a soft paste. Add the yoghurt and mix well. Crush the garlic then add it with the finely chopped hot pepper to the tahineh. Remember that the hot pepper is meant to add an extra edge to the salad and can be dispensed with.
Peel the aubergines carefully. The skin comes off quite easily; however, make sure that none of it remains with the now soft interior. Mash the pulp and add the salt and pepper. Add the tahineh mixture to the aubergines and mix well. The resulting salad is soft and slightly creamy.
Spread it on a large plate and with the back of a spoon make a circular groove for the oil. Decorate the edges with parsley leaves, lemon slices and cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with olive oil at the last minute before serving.
This salad is a variation of the m’tabbal with a marked difference in the flavour. The combination of the fried aubergines with the yoghurt, which gives it a smooth light texture, makes it an excellent side dish to accompany kubbeh b’suniyeh.
3 large rihawi eggplants
½ cup vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ tsp salt
750 ml (1¼ pts) unflavoured yoghurt
Wash and wipe dry the aubergines, peel them, then cut them into 1cm (½ in) slices. Sprinkle them with salt and leave them to sit for half an hour before frying them. For the frying, you can use the oil of your choice, corn or sunflower oil or even olive oil. Fry the aubergines in a deep pan a few at a time and put them on kitchen paper to soak up some of the frying oil. You get better results if you fry them thoroughly on one side and turn them over only once. Discard the remaining oil.
I always fry them a few hours ahead, which gives me the chance to change the kitchen paper and have less greasy aubergines. It is possible to fry a large quantity and freeze some in a sealed container for later use. They keep very well for up to two weeks.
To prepare the dressing, measure out the yoghurt, add the crushed garlic and the salt then fold the mixture with the aubergine slices and stir gently, making sure not to crush them. Serve immediately. This salad wilts very quickly, which is why it is wise to season just a portion for immediate use. The fried aubergines keep very well for two to three days and the yoghurt dressing can be preserved in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 24 hours.
It is fresh, nourishing and quick to prepare! It is also as quick to disappear into hungry mouths!
4 medium avocados
Whole lemon peeled
Garlic cloves
2 tbs chopped peppers, medium hot
1 tsp salt
Peel the avocados and cut in half, removing the seed. Put the halves in a food processor and add the peeled garlic, the chopped peppers and the peeled lemon cut up in pieces and from which the seeds have been removed. Mix at high speed until you get a smooth soft paste. Served in a bowl, with crackers or kmaj bread on the side. This dip adds an exotic touch to the mezze.
This salad is important to include in a mezze display as it adds a different dimension to the variety. The parsley, with its bitter aroma, offsets the sweet flavour of the beets quite adequately.
7–8 raw beetroot
2 garlic cloves
1½ tsp salt
1 tbs olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
A small bunch parsley, about ½ cup
Put the washed beetroot in a pan full of hot water, bring to the boil and leave to cook, covered, for about 40 minutes. Once they are cooked rinse them out with cold water and pare them. You can dice them on a wooden board or slice them, as you prefer; the parsley has to be chopped by hand so it stays fresh all through the meal. Parsley chopped in a food processor looks limp immediately.
Crush the garlic with the salt with a pestle and mortar; gradually add the olive oil until it becomes soft and creamy. Add to the beetroot and add the lemon juice and parsley. Stir well and serve in a fresh bowl.
Hummos is a staple food and can be eaten at any meal of the day. A substantial addition to a brunch, minced meat and pine nuts sprinkled over hummos can turn it into a delightful dish.
500 g (1 lb 2oz) chickpeas, washed and pre-soaked
¾ cup tahineh
⅓ cup lemon juice
2–3 garlic cloves
1 hot pepper (optional)
1½ tsp salt
Pepper to taste
To serve
2 tbs of finely chopped parsley
½ cup whole chickpeas, cooked
¼ cup olive oil Dash of cumin
For the meat
400 g (14oz) minced meat
2–3 tbs of olive oil
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Wash and soak the chickpeas for a few hours before cooking them as this will speed up the cooking process; I always cook them in the water they have been soaking in to get maximum nutritional value. Cover them with water in a deep pan and cook them until they become soft or until they are doubled in size. If you think it necessary, add some water while they are cooking. Drain, preserving some of the liquid, and set aside to cool in the pan. Meanwhile wash and dry the hot pepper (optional) and remove the stem and seeds, as they are very irritating for the digestion. Peel the garlic.
Put half the quantity of the cooked chickpeas with some of their juice (about three tbs) in the bowl of a food processor and add half the tahineh, half the lemon juice, the garlic, salt and pepper. Mix at high speed until you get a soft paste. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the rest of the chickpeas, leaving aside ½ cup for serving, the remainder of the tahineh and lemon juice and mix again at high speed until you get a soft paste. Add to the first batch in the bowl and stir until the hummos is well blended. The hummos should be firm but not dry; it should also be easy to spread. A tablespoonful of some of the cooking water could be used to soften the paste.
Serve on a round plate, spreading the paste while leaving a groove around the centre to contain the oil. Add the remaining chickpeas in the middle, sprinkling them with the chopped parsley, and lightly sprinkle the whole with cumin. Finally pour the oil on the surface.
Chickpeas freeze very well, whole or puréed; however, it is best to hold the seasoning until serving time. Hummos is best served at room temperature.
If meat is to be added to the dish, omit the whole chickpeas and parsley at serving and hold the oil until after you add the meat.
Brown the meat in the oil in a frying pan on a high heat, stirring constantly for even cooking; an aluminium frying pan is ideal for such purposes as it distributes the heat evenly. Once the meat is brown and crisp, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes add the salt and pepper and immediately serve over the hummos. Sprinkle with olive oil.
Hummos and ful m’dammas are as inseparable as butter and jam and find their place of honour at every brunch, picnic or barbecue. It is also the poor man’s staple and goes a long way when dipped with bread. The secret of a successful plate of ful is in its consistency, which should be soft for easy dipping.
500 g (1 lb 2oz)
beans
⅓ cup tahineh
1 cup freshly
squeezed lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp salt
¾ tsp pepper
1 hot pepper, finely chopped
Olive oil and some extra lemon juice for serving
Pre-soak the beans in water and half a tsp of sodium bicarbonate for a few hours or overnight. Cover them with water, cook them on medium heat until they boil, then lower the heat and let them simmer, covered, for 1½ hours. Check the water and add as necessary. The only way to get the beans right is to overcook them until they mash under the pressure of the back of a spoon against the sides of the pot. Keep on stirring and mashing for five minutes or so. You should aim for a mushy uneven texture rather than a puree. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before you season.
Cream the tahineh in ¼ cup water then add the crushed garlic cloves, the lemon juice and the salt and pepper. Stir well and add to the ful making sure that the ingredients are well mixed. Transfer to a shallow bowl and sprinkle with the finely chopped hot pepper, some lemon juice and a generous helping of olive oil. Serve immediately as this dish is more enjoyable lukewarm.
Chickpeas are a favourite in cooked dishes, salads and dips. This salad derives its name from the boiled, spicy chickpeas vendors used to sell to passers-by in newspaper cones. Those were the days preceding prepackaged crisps and imported junk food.
Though high in proteins and vitamins, this salad is mostly popular because it can fill hungry mouths on a small budget. The acrid and slightly bitter taste of the cumin is an important addition to the otherwise bland chickpeas. For maximum flavour, roast a small amount of cumin seeds over the stove before grinding them.
It is possible to use canned chickpeas, but I always prefer to start from scratch. I cook chickpeas 1 kg (2 lb 4oz) at a time and freeze them for subsequent use in airtight containers. They can keep in the freezer for up to a month. Large families might need the whole amount for one meal!
3 cups chickpeas, cooked (see Chickpea Dip recipe)
3 spring onions or 1 medium onion
1 small bunch parsley, ½ cup chopped
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1½ tsp salt
1½ tsp cumin
⅓ tsp pepper
If using spring onions, trim the ends while leaving a large portion of the green stems. Wash the parsley, cutting off the stems, and set it aside to drain. On a wooden board, finely chop the onion and the parsley. Put them in a deep salad bowl, add the cooled chickpeas, the seasoning and the spices and mix thoroughly.
Tips
This salad is still delicious when left over and refrigerated. Served with goat cheese or feta, on the side or diced and added to it, it makes an excellent light lunch. I have also tried using tomatoes – three tomatoes diced into small cubes for the same quantity of chickpeas – and it was equally appreciated.
I associate cucumbers with the long and lazy afternoons of summer holidays, punctuated by regular goings to the refrigerator when the need for a refreshing glass of cold water becomes an excuse for greedy nibbles at whole cucumbers. Unlike in the West, local cucumbers are small and tender and rather more flavoursome, especially when home-grown. No need to peel them, a dash of salt is all one needs to devour this luscious vegetable!
Cucumber salad goes very well with rice dishes. In fact, it is quite customary to serve unflavoured yoghurt with many dishes that have rice as a basic ingredient, like oriental rice and mahshi u warak, stuffed marrows and vine leaves.
6–8 cold cucumbers
(750 g/1 lb 12 oz), washed and peeled
750 ml (1¼ pts) unflavoured yoghurt
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbs dried and crushed mint leaves
Cut the washed and peeled cucumbers across in thin round slices in a big serving bowl. Measure out the yoghurt in a separate bowl, add to it the crushed garlic, salt and crushed mint leaves. If you are using fresh mint, a handful of chopped leaves is needed. Mix the sauce well and add to the cucumbers. Stir and serve immediately. It is also possible to serve it in individual bowls.
Tips
For an extra edge, use slightly sour yoghurt, which will offset the cool smoothness of the cucumbers. I experimented by putting this salad in a food processor and mixing it at low speed for two minutes: delicious summer soup. Omit the garlic and it can serve as pre-lunch refreshment for an informal garden party!
This basic dish is a tribute to summer, when baladi cauliflower is abundant.
1 small cauliflower trimmed and cut, about 800 g (1lb 14 oz) florets
½ cup oil for frying
½ cup chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbs lemon fresh juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbs olive oil (optional)
Cut the cauliflower into small florets, wash them and towel dry. Fry them a few at a time in the oil of your choice; I like to use olive oil for this particular recipe. I also prefer putting them on paper to absorb any excess oil.
Once they have cooled, add the chopped parsley, chopped garlic, lemon juice and seasoning and stir well. Cover the salad and leave for two hours. You can add two tablespoonfuls of fresh olive oil before serving.
3 sweet red peppers
3 sweet green peppers
½ cup coriander leaves
3 garlic cloves
⅓ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Put the peppers in a pan and grill them whole – without removing the stem – in the oven for 10 minutes on each side. You can use a Teflon-coated pan, which you do not have to grease. When they are done, take them out of the oven and leave them to cool for half an hour before you peel them and remove the stem and seeds. Cut them in long flat strips and put them on a flat serving plate, alternating a few green strips with red ones. Wash the coriander leaves and let them drip on a paper towel; meanwhile peel the garlic cloves and chop both very finely on a wooden board. Mix the garlic, coriander and salt and pepper in the oil and add to the peppers. Serve immediately.
This salad, simple and moist, is a very good accompaniment to bread-based food such as sfiha.
This is as delicious as it is easy to prepare. But you need to have acquired the taste for hot food. While the meat is being seasoned and the barbecue is prepared, it is a good way to get the party going, with a glass of araq in the other hand! There are two ways for preparing this dish, both equally appetising.
300 g (11 oz) hot peppers
1–1¼ tsp salt
8–10 garlic cloves, cut in half
1½–1¾ cups olive oil
Grilled method: grill the peppers in the oven grill for eight minutes each side. Set aside to cool while you peel the garlic.
Put them upright in a jar together with the garlic cloves and sprinkle with salt. Add the oil and preserve. For best results, prepare at least 24 hours before serving.
Pickling method: remove the stems and seeds of the peppers and cut them across in thin slices and put them in a bowl. Coarsely chop the garlic and add to the peppers, sprinkling them with salt. Transfer to a jar and cover with olive oil. Set the jar aside, away from any source of heat or light, for a few days before consumption.
The leftover oil can be used to season salads or to preserve a new batch of peppers. I also use it to add some tang to grilled or steamed vegetables.
Another one of the popular dip salads that accompany a mezze or barbecue, bakdounsieh is simple to prepare, flavoursome and healthy. It should be noted that it is important to chop the parsley by hand or you will end up with an unappetising dip of dubious colour and unappealing texture.
1 cup chopped parsley
¾ cup tahineh
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2–3 tbs water
½ cup unflavoured yoghurt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Olive oil for serving
Wash the parsley and leave it to dry on a paper towel for a few minutes while you prepare the tahineh.
Measure the tahineh in a medium-sized bowl and add the lemon juice. Work the two ingredients together until you get a fine light paste; it might be necessary to add a couple of tablespoonfuls of water to get a smooth texture. Add the yoghurt and work it some more until you get a smooth and creamy paste. Add the parsley, the salt and pepper, stir well and serve in a deep plate. Smooth out the centre with the back of a spoon forming a trough in which you can pour enough olive oil to cover with a thin film.
Using the yoghurt with tahineh sauce is a trick I learnt from my mother and it helps make a smoother and lighter paste.
This treat was an excuse for a silly game that we played as young girls, picking on the artichoke leaves, like petals from a daisy.
4 whole artichokes, washed and steamed or boiled
For the dressing
3 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
⅓ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Once the artichokes are cooked to taste, remove them from the pan and turn them stem upwards to drain and cool, then put them on a serving plate. Prepare the sauce and serve in a separate bowl or in four individual bowls.
Tips
This salad is fun to eat among family or friends; it can be messy and therefore unsuitable for formal entertainment.
The best string beans I know come from the village of Artas south of Bethlehem.
For many years Umm Hilmi used to knock on our door at six in the morning bringing with her enough fassoulia for my mother to blanch and freeze for months to come. The same haggling over the price was repeated every year, with Umm Hilmi slightly raising her price in anticipation of this ritual and my mother, equally aware of the woman’s tactics, resolved to strike a bargain.
1 kg (2lb 4 oz) fresh French beans, boiled or steamed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Small bunch of parsley (½ cup chopped)
Juice of 2 lemons (¼ cup)
½ cup olive oil
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Mix together crushed garlic, chopped parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour this over steamed and cooled string beans and serve immediately.
It is possible to substitute parsley with freshly chopped coriander.
Another one of the popular dip salads that accompany a mezze or barbecue, Salatet batata is simple to prepare, flavoursome and healthy. It should be noted that it is important to chop the parsley by hand or you will end up with an unappetising dip of dubious colour and unappealing texture.
1 kg (2lb 4oz) potatoes, boiled and peeled
4 spring onions or one medium onion, chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup lemon
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Cut the potatoes into small cubes and place in a bowl. Add the coarsely chopped onions and chopped parsley. Add oil and lemon and seasoning. Stir and serve. If you are lucky, you will be left with some salad and it will be delicious to the last bite!
The pungent taste of za’tar, wild thyme, and the strong aroma of white cheese from sheep’s milk add a particular flavour to this salad, which rouses a primaeval longing for the simple life close to the earth. As long as fresh wild thyme is available this salad is served at every meal. If the cheese is not fresh in season, it has to be soaked for a few hours for desalination before use.
Unlike cheeses in the west, traditional white cheese is produced in spring when pastures are available after the winter rains, and preserved in salted water for the whole year. Just like olive oil and baladi vegetables, the purchase of this cheese is done through a network that is continued through generations of suppliers and buyers. If a farmer holds back on the prescribed amount of gum Arabic, mahlab and izha, precious ingredients that give the cheese a distinctive flavour, he loses overnight the business he has established over many years.
Palestinians who live abroad are very nostalgic for this cheese. My brother-in-law who has been living in New York for the past forty years eats this salad heartily when his wife prepares it with feta cheese. When I asked about the English muffins he uses to dip in the sauce, he explained that it reminded him very much of tabun bread and that when he dips a morsel in this salad, the whole past rises from his plate. I made no further comments, but then I realised that he has been away for too many years!
4 large tomatoes 150 g (5 oz) semi-salted white sheep’s cheese
4 spring onions bunch of fresh za’tar
2 tbs lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¾ tsp salt
Pepper to taste
Wash the thyme leaves and set them aside to dry on a paper towel. Meanwhile dice the tomatoes and cheese into small cubes and put them in a bowl. Trim the spring onions and chop them and add them to the same bowl.
Add the thyme leaves, the oil, the lemon and salt and pepper and stir. Serve immediately.
On very hot days, when appetites are stunted and minds are dulled, nothing is as replenishing as this cool, nutritious salad. It should be served immediately as it quickly wilts, especially in hot weather. It is a refreshing accompaniment to barbecued meats, grilled chicken or kiftah and, with a tahineh dressing, it can stand as a light meal by itself. It moistens a falafel and kmaj sandwich. Kmaj is the real name for the Arabic bread known as pita in the west. Because of its shape and texture, this bread can hold a runny salad quite well, without causing any embarrassment to the person enjoying it!
4–6 cucumbers about 600 g (1 lb 6 oz)
3 large or 4 medium tomatoes
1 hot pepper
Small bunch of parsley (¾ cup chopped)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves (or 1 tbs crushed dry mint leaves)
For the dressing
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
⅓ tsp pepper
Wash and dry with a kitchen towel the cucumbers, tomatoes, hot pepper, parsley and fresh mint leaves. Peel the cucumbers and dice them into small cubes and transfer them to a glass bowl; dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Chop the hot pepper, the parsley and mint leaves and add them to the bowl. This part of the preparation, not in the least hard, requires some patience and, with practice, can be done in half the time.
If you are using the classic dressing, add the seasoning and spices to the salad, stir and serve immediately in a deep bowl.
The tahineh dressing is more substantial. Measure the tahineh in a small saucer, add the salt, the pepper and the crushed garlic, then add the lemon juice, stirring vigorously until you get a fine white paste. Unlike other tahineh dressings you need not add any water, as the juice from the tomatoes will dilute the tahineh mixture. Mix the salad thoroughly then transfer it to a clean bowl and sprinkle with olive oil. Serve immediately.
If you are rushed for time or are entertaining guests, you can prepare the tahineh mixture a few hours ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container but for best results, do not chop the vegetables and herbs more than half an hour before serving.
Whether fried, grilled, stewed or raw, tomatoes hold a place of honour in Palestinian cuisine. They are an essential ingredient in most stews and contribute to the success of many salads. This particular salad, juicy and tangy, is a favourite and is always served with m’jaddara, lentils with rice.
4 tomatoes, Small bunch of spring onions (about five), trimmed, washed and dried
Small bunch of parsley,
A few mint leaves
3 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Dice the tomatoes. Chop the spring onions, the parsley and the mint leaves. Put in a bowl and add the lemon juice, the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately.
Many homes pickle their own olives, using the harvest of their own groves or buying them from private landowners who traditionally provide them with their yearly supply. For those who are less fortunate and can only buy their olives off the supermarket shelf, a personal touch can transform such insipid commercial fare into a valuable creation that is likely to impress anyone you serve them to.
1 jar of olives preserved in salted water
2 hot peppers, whole or sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
¼ cup freshly
squeezed lemon juice
Enough olive oil to cover the olives
Drain the olives from their liquid. Mix together the garlic, lemon juice and half a cup of oil, add to the olives and mix thoroughly. Add the hot peppers whole or sliced; if you slice them make sure to remove the seeds. Transfer the olives with the dressing to a bigger jar. Add enough olive oil to cover and store for a week away from any source of light or heat.
Once the olives have been eaten you can use the leftover marinade to dress a salad or to sprinkle over labaneh.
In the old days when fresh milk was not readily available, labaneh was processed into a thick paste, shaped into balls and preserved in olive oil. That was the way I got used to eating it at my grandmother’s. Although I have always preferred the fresh variety, every once in a while I get an urge for preserved labaneh and indulge my greed by spreading it on toasted whole-wheat bread, the closest version to my grandmother’s tabun bread.
Whichever way you serve labaneh, you can be sure that the plate will be wiped clean within a few minutes of serving it. So always be sure to have some back-up for seconds. Spread the labaneh on a plate forming an edge with the back of a spoon, drizzle olive oil and add a herb of your choice, fresh or dried: mint leaves, thyme, rosemary or basil. Serve with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the side.
Labaneh is available in most Middle Eastern speciality stores, but it is very easy to prepare your own: all you need is a coffee filter and a drip funnel.
Place a large coffee filter in the funnel over a big mug and pour some unflavoured yogurt inside the filter. Cover and let it drip, inside the refrigerator, overnight or until you get the labaneh to desired consistency. Remove from the filter, add some salt to taste and serve with your favourite herb. Do not forget to sprinkle with a generous amount of olive oil.
The best way to prepare and serve the eggs is in individual, traditional, shallow clay bowls that go on the stove-top, but if you do not have them use an old-fashioned aluminium frying-pan. For a small pan cook two eggs at a time, to make sure that everyone gets his or her serving piping hot.
2 fresh eggs
4 tbs olive oil
1 tsp sumak
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in the pan or in the clay bowl until it sizzles. Add the two eggs and sprinkle with the sumak, salt and pepper. Spoon out some of the oil over the eggs until they are cooked to your liking.
Of Lebanese origin, tabbouleh has been part and parcel of Palestinian cuisine for generations. One feature that marks it from its origin is the addition of finely chopped cucumbers to the ingredients. I have always done it Lebanese style and any occasion, birthday or other, provided an excuse for a tabbouleh afternoon party. It certainly was a star during the lettuce season for which the village of Artas south of Bethlehem is very famous. Spoon out some tabbouleh on to a lettuce leaf and enjoy it with a glass of araq on the side.
One of the main ingredients in this salad is the parsley, which can be bought in huge bunches from the markets all over Palestine. One bunch maybe enough to supply the quantity necessary to prepare a salad for six persons.
400 g (14 oz) parsley
80 g (3 oz) mint leaves
1 onion
4 large tomatoes
½ cup burghol, fine
grade or cracked
wheat
2¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbs sumak
1 cup olive oil
1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
The parsley should be washed and trimmed ready for chopping. Chop the parsley and mint leaves very finely by hand, place in a large bowl and refrigerate, covered, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Chop the onions very finely and put in a small bowl, to which add the salt, pepper, sumak and two tablespoonfuls of the olive oil. Mix thoroughly and set aside while you chop the tomatoes. Choose large, firm and pulpy tomatoes. Then wash and drain the burghol, getting rid of all the water by squeezing firmly in your hand, and add it to the tomatoes.
Add the onion mixture and the tomatoes and burghol to the chopped parsley and mint, add the lemon juice and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Serve in a large shallow dish with plenty of lettuce leaves on the side.
