Salata Khadra Mafruma (Basic Minced Green Salad)
Salata Khadra Mafruma (Basic Minced Green Salad)
This bright and spicy twist on the basic Arabic salad of minced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions gets its color from red cabbage and orange bell peppers, both of which grow in abundance in Gaza. Middle Eastern cucumbers are sometimes labelled as "Persian" or "Japanese," but any burpless variety will do. In Gaza, the dedication of the cook is revealed by how finely she chops her salad.
Servings
6
servings
Ingredients
- 3 firm tomatoes
- 4 mini middle eastern cucumbers (1/2 peeled hothouse cucumber or other seedless variety may be substituted)
- 1/2 bunch green onions, rough stems removed
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeds and veins removed
- 1 cup finely minced red cabbage
- 5 red radishes, trimmed of roots
- 1/2 cup packed fresh mint, stems removed
- 1/2 cup packed parsley, thick stems removed
- 3 green chile peppers, seeds and veins removed
- rind of 1 lemon, finely chopped or zested
- 1 clove garlic, mashed well in a mortar and pestle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoon high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- juice from 2 lemons
Directions
- Finely mince all of the vegetables into roughly equal-size bits and toss in a bowl. Add the mashed garlic and lemon rind or zest. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Adjust dressing to taste: salad should not be soggy. Serve with rice-based main dishes such as maqluba or qidra, or with stews (tabikh).