Israeli Salad
This salad recipe from Israel is versatile and tasty. Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, onion. Vegan, kosher, pareve.
This salad recipe from Israel is versatile and tasty. Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, onion. Vegan, kosher, pareve.
- Carbohydrate 3.20343480102081 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.56216809252538 g
- Fiber 0.840101080856249 g
- Protein 0.644408482109385 g
- Saturated Fat 0.35487273295424 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (128g)
- Sodium 5.09710856433569 mg
- Sugar 2.36333372016456 g
- Trans Fat 0.107467196832678 g
- Calories 35 calories
Step-by-step
- Note: Persian cucumbers have lots of little seeds, which add to their flavor. If you have trouble digesting seeds, you can seed the cucumber easily by slicing it in half lengthwise and scooping out the seed-filled center.
- Place the diced cucumbers into a large mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients.
- Mix until vegetables are well coated with parsley, oil, lemon juice, and salt.
- Best served fresh at room temperature. You can also serve chilled for a more refreshing salad.
Using a dull chef knife to dice tomatoes and cucumbers creates bruised cell walls and an excess of watery liquid at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Sharp carbon or stainless steel blades slice cleanly through skins without applying downward crushing force, preserving the structural integrity of the produce. A heavy eight-inch chef knife provides the necessary leverage for rapid processing, while a straight-edged pairing knife works efficiently for seeding tomatoes over the sink. Paper towels placed beneath a wooden cutting board prevent sliding during the repetitive motion required for dicing pounds of produce.
Uniform dice size ensures that each spoonful contains an equal ratio of cucumber crunch to tomato acidity. Aim for cubes measuring roughly one-quarter inch across, matching the natural size of the parsley mince. Inconsistent pieces cause dressing distribution issues, leaving larger chunks unseasoned while smaller fragments absorb too much lemon juice and salt. A wide mixing bowl allows the olive oil and citrus juice to coat surfaces evenly without pooling heavily at the base.
Scaling quantities upward requires proportional adjustments to resting times, as larger batches accumulate moisture faster once salt enters the equation. Doubling the recipe yields sixteen servings, demanding a bowl at least four quarts in capacity to permit proper tossing without spilling. Halving the quantities takes under fifteen minutes with a single chef knife and one medium bowl, though smaller volumes lose room-temperature equilibrium quicker.
Consuming the mixture within thirty minutes of tossing maintains optimal texture before osmotic pressure draws out vegetable juices. Storing leftovers in a sealed glass container for longer than four hours results in excessive liquid accumulation and softened cucumber crunch. Draining excess liquid through a fine-mesh strainer before serving revives older batches, though re-seasoning with extra virgin olive oil becomes necessary to restore lost fat content.
