Levantine cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Salatet Baqle

Juicy purslane with tomatoes, onions and sumac, the forerunner of the famous fattoush.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g purslane (or lamb's lettuce instead)
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red onion
• 2 tsp sumac
• 1 lemon
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the purslane in cold water, spin dry and cut off the thick stems; use only leaves and tender shoots.
2. Cut the tomatoes into 2 cm cubes, halve the cucumber lengthwise and cut into half-moons, and slice the red onion into fine rings.
3. Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar and whisk with the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper into a dressing.
4. Toss the tomatoes, cucumber and onion rings with 1 tsp sumac and let stand for 5 min. so a little juice is released.
5. Only now fold in the purslane and pour over the dressing, so the leaves stay crisp.
6. Season with the remaining sumac and a little salt and serve at once in a shallow dish.