If you’re like me and love the taste and versatility of Middle Eastern salad, this is another one for you. Although I love Middle Eastern salad for pita meals due to its texture and bulkiness, I don’t feel it works as well when topping on some kebab and laffah (a large flatbread broken up to eat with kebab).
I like to think of this salad as kind of like grain-free tabouleh. Cucumbers have a lot of moisture without a lot of flavor, and let’s face it, couscous is good but doesn’t have much flavor of its own either and works as a side rather than a topping for rich meats like schwarma and kafta.
Enter this salad, which is a tasty side but also sticks perfectly to your meats packed in a pita or with a flatbread without falling all over the place. It really brings in that acidity and brightness to balance out the fatty richness of the meat. Add to that my green tahini, and you’ve got a perfect meal!
So next time you want a really quick salad to make with your Middle Eastern fare and don’t feel like dicing up all the cucumbers and/or making the couscous, you’ll get a huge bang for your buck with this one.
You could opt to make this by pulsing in a food processor for a really fast job, but the act of cutting it all by hand, including the natural bruising and slightly uneven cutting that occurs, can even further enhance the overall flavor beyond what a processor is capable of.
Serves 2-3 as a side salad or kebab / pita meal topper. Suggested to serve using a slotted spoon if topping on bread.
You will need:
- Knife & cutting board
- Small or medium mixing bowl
- Citrus hand press
- Garlic press
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch parsley, stems removed & finely chopped (50-60g net wt.)
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely diced (~250g)
- Juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, thin sliced
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
1.) Prepare all the ingredients as noted above and combine in mixing bowl. Evenly toss. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving for the flavors to meld.
The salad will stay good for a few days but will produce more and more liquid, which can be poured off before serving if desired.
Below is a kafta kebab spiced heavily with my baharat, and topped with this salad and green tahini.
