Persian
Salad Shirazi
Fine, even dice of Persian cucumber, ripe tomato, and white onion dressed with tart verjuice and dried mint for the crisp, juicy salad associated with Shiraz.
4 servings · 20 minutes prep
Ingredients
Finely Diced Vegetables
- 4 small Persian cucumbers, about 12 ounces, cut into even 1/4-inch dice
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes, about 12 ounces, firm-ripe, cored and cut into even 1/4-inch dice
- 1/2 small white onion, about 2 1/2 ounces, cut into even 1/4-inch dice, briefly rinsed, and thoroughly drained
Verjuice Dressing
- 3 tablespoons verjuice (ab-ghooreh), taste before using; acidity varies by bottle
- 1 teaspoon dried mint, rubbed between the fingers; use plain dried mint, not za’atar
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Make the Fine Dice
- Combine the evenly diced Persian cucumbers and Roma tomatoes in a mixing bowl. Rinse the white onion under cold water for 10 seconds, shake the sieve thoroughly, blot dry, and add it to the bowl.
Dress with Verjuice
- Rub the dried mint between your palms over the vegetables. Add the verjuice, kosher salt, and black pepper, then fold until every small cube is glossy.
Rest Briefly and Serve
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Toss the small amount of seasoned juice from the bottom back through the salad, taste, and add only enough extra verjuice to make it lively. Serve cool, not ice-cold, within 2 hours.
