Fattoush

I've translated this recipe from the original Dutch recipe, as featured in Arabia by Merijn Tol and Nadia Zerouali. While they've listed it in the Middle East section of their book, I happen to know that this salad is often seen on Turkish tables too. Holland has, of course, a rather large Turkish immigrant community. This salad works well with grilled fish that has been prepared with a chili paste like harissa.

• 2 firm cucumbers
• 2 baskets cherry tomatoes
• 6 green onions
• 2 bunches fresh tarragon
• 1/2 bunch fresh mint
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 flatbreads
• Oil for frying
• Sumac
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pomegranate molasses

Cut the cucumbers in chunks, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the green onions on the diagonal and tear the herbs into small pieces by hand.

Cut the bread into small pieces. Fry until golden and crispy and immediately sprinkle with sumac and salt.

Mix the salad ingredients together, drizzle with olive oil and season. Now add the crispy bread and sprinkle with the pomegranate molasses. Serve immediately.

Tip:

The recipe requires a few exotic ingredients: pomegranate molasses, sumac and Lebanese flatbread, which are all available at Middle Eastern stores. You could easily use pita bread instead (simply split the pita breads and prepare as above) and if you can't find sumac or pomagranate molasses, use the juice and zest of a lemon instead. Sumac is renowned for its lemony zing and the lemon would also replace the sour note of the molasses.

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