Shirazi Salad

Name: Shirazi Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Iran
Ingredients: 4 slim cucumbers; 4 firm tomatoes; 1 medium white onion; 2 tsp dried mint; Juice of 2 limes; 2 tbsp olive oil; Salt; Black pepper

Local name : سالاد شیرازی

Cucumber, tomato and onion in tiny dice, brightened with lime juice and a generous pinch of dried mint.

VeganGluten-free#cucumber#tomato#mint#lime#refreshing

Photo : Imansadighi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 20 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Cut the cucumbers into 5 mm dice, leaving the skin on if they are thin and firm.
Halve the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds, then dice the flesh to the same size.
Chop the onion very finely and soak it in iced water for 5 minutes to mellow it, then drain thoroughly.
Rub the dried mint between your palms over the bowl to wake up its aroma.
Add the lime juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and fold together without crushing the vegetables.
Rest for 10 minutes in the fridge before serving, alongside rice or grilled vegetable skewers.

In Shiraz this salad accompanies almost everything, a sharp counterpoint to rich rice dishes. The dried mint, far more concentrated than fresh, is what sets it apart from its Levantine cousins.

Nutrition · per serving

Calories: 158 kcal
Protein: 4.1 g
Fat: 7.7 g
Carbohydrate: 23.2 g
Fibre: 4.6 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why dried mint rather than fresh?

Dried mint is far more concentrated and releases a deep flavour into the lime juice, where fresh mint would only sit on the surface. Rub it between your palms over the bowl to wake up its oils.

Why soak the onion in iced water?

Five minutes in very cold water takes the bite out of raw onion while firming it up, which makes the tiny dice pleasant to eat. Drain it thoroughly afterwards, or it adds water to the salad.

Why rest it for ten minutes before serving?

That short chilled rest lets the dried mint and lime juice work into the vegetables. Do not stretch it out: beyond that the salt draws water from the tomatoes and the dice lose their crunch.