Healthy Turkish Shepherd’s Salad
I was first introduced to this simple but delicious salad that is the staple of the Turkish cuisine by my good friend Hakan. The flavours are fresh and appetising and the salad goes wonderfully with grilled meats or fish. It is also fabulous as a meal on its own with added feta, olives, toasted sesame seeds and some toasted flatbread and is the perfect dish to pack for your first picnic of the year as the weather gets warmer and sunnier. It is healthy, low fat, and low carb and still tastes good and best of all once the chopping is done, it takes just a couple of minutes to prepare!
The Pomegranate sours or pomegranate molasses as it is sometimes know is vital to the authentic taste of the dish and although it is not available at every supermarket, it can be picked up at food markets and Middle Eastern specialty stores as well as online at shops such as Arabica Food And Spice Company. It is well worth the effort to have this sauce in your cupboard as it can also add wonderful flavour to marinades and Turkish pilaf.
INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber chopped into small cubes
4 firm tomatoes cut into small cubes
1 red onion finely chopped
4 green chillies finely sliced
1 large bunch flat parsley finely chopped
2 tbsp good quality virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
juice half a lemon
3 tbsp pomegranate sours
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well and serve immediately. If you are preparing this dish earlier for something like a picnic, keep the liquids separately and add at the last minute and mix well.
