Shirazi Salad
Refreshing Shirazi salad is perfect beside any meal.
This deliciously fresh salad originated in the Iranian town of Shiraz. It's simple and refreshing with fresh herbs and a citrus-based dressing. It makes an excellent side salad to almost any meal.
The dressing is equally simple and quick to make. The only ingredient you might not have on hand is the za'atar. This can be substituted with ground sumac which is the typical seasoning used in this dressing. I prefer to use za'atar as the combination of spices offer a fuller flavour.
Both the vegetables and the dressing need to be refrigerated separately for an hour to let the flavours combine. Only dress immediately before serving to prevent the vegetables from getting soft and the herbs from wilting.
Ingredients
(Makes 8 servings)
salad:
6 large Roma tomatoes (deseeded and diced
1 large English cucumber. diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or parsley)
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
dressing:
juice of 3 limes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon za'atar (or sumac)
Directions
In a salad bowl, add the vegetables and fresh herbs then toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1-hour.
In a small bowl (or using a bullet blender) whisk together the dressing ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1-hour.
Just prior to serving, whisk the dressing again then drizzle over the salad. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly and serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 79 | total fat = 6.93g | saturated fat = 0.97g | cholesterol = 0mg | sodium = 156.88mg | net carbohydrates = 3.76g | dietary fibre = 0.97g | sugars = 2.23g | protein = 0.81g
