Welcome back to my Let's Cook - Ramadan Series. If you don't know what Ramadan is, it's the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast for 30 days, from sunrise to sunset. It's an incredibly spiritual month for many and I want to share some recipes that are made during this time. Today is the last day of Ramadan so I wanted to share a very popular, loved salad that is enjoyed during this month. If you've never heard of fattoush by now, I am so sorry. You have been missing out on one of the best Levantine salads by far. Fattoush is a very traditional salad in the Middle East. What gives fattoush its' name is the sumac seasoning and the fried pita chips on top. It has a standard combo of vegetables like lettuce, tomato, radish, onion, and cucumber, but some people like to mix it up and add more vegetables too. It's really up to you! It’s nutritious and delicious at the same time. Make a personal one or make enough for the whole family to enjoy! Either way, you'll love it. So, let's get to the recipe.
Yields: 1-3
Prep time: 15 minutes (if you want to add pita chips, make sure to preheat the oven to 400 and bake the pita chips first before you start making the fattoush. This way you save time)
Total time: 20 minutes
This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan. (gluten free if you avoid the pita chips)
Ingredients:
1. ½ bunch of romaine lettuce
2. 1 beefsteak tomato
3. 1 large cucumber
4. 1 radish
5. ¼ cup of chopped parsley
6. 1 scallion
7. Fresh mint to garnish (optional if you don't have it)
8. Extra virgin olive oil
9. 1 lemon
10. Salt
11. Sumac
12. Pita bread
Instructions:
1. First, wash all of the vegetables.
2. Next, finely chop ingredients 1-6. If you choose to use fresh mint, leave it to the side, do not chop yet. (Fun fact, if mint is chopped too early it will bruise, so always leave it until you're about to eat.)
3. Put them into a large bowl.
4. Now, in a separate bowl for the vinaigrette: squeeze in 1 lemon, add 3 TBSPs of olive oil, and sprinkle in 1 TSP of sumac and ¼ TSP of salt, but always salt to your liking. Arabs tend to like salty salads.
5. Now, mix the vinaigrette well and pour onto the salad. Mix well.
6. Add the chopped fresh mint when you're about to eat.
7. This is optional IF you are gluten free:
- If you’d like to add pita chips, grab ½ loaf of pita bread and cut them into small squares. Grab a baking pan, add the pita bread squares, drizzle on olive oil, and season with salt. Mix well and bake in the oven on 400 until crispy.
8. Add on top of the fattoush for an extra crunch.
