Levantine cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Salatet Khiyar bi Naanaa

Crisp cucumber slices with fresh mint, lemon and olive oil, a very simple summer salad.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 3 cucumbers
• 1 bunch mint
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the cucumbers, halve lengthwise and cut into 5 mm thick half-moons; slice the red onion into thin rings.
2. Mix the cucumber slices with 1 tsp salt and let sit in a sieve for 10 min. so they lose water and stay crisp.
3. Pick the mint leaves from the stems and cut them coarsely only just before dressing — chopped mint quickly loses its aroma.
4. Finely grate the garlic and whisk it with the lemon juice, olive oil and pepper into a dressing.
5. Loosely toss the drained cucumbers with the onion rings and mint in a bowl, then pour the dressing over them.
6. Toss briefly once more, season to taste with salt and serve immediately well chilled with grilled meat or as part of a mezze spread.