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Shared by Rottem Lieberson

Cucumber, Mint, and Sumac Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servingsTime: 10 min

Shared by Rottem Lieberson

Cucumber salad on white dish with fresh flowers atop white patterned tablecloth.
Photographer: Penny de los Santos. Food Stylist: Judy Haubert. Prop Stylist: Mariana Velasquez.

Cucumber, Mint, and Sumac Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servingsTime: 10 min

Family Journey

Tehran, IranSha’ar Haliyah (near Haifa), IsraelJerusalem
Tel Aviv

“When someone comes over, the first thing you do is give them a cucumber. This is the tradition,” cookbook author Rottem Lieberson says. The woman of the house, she goes on to explain, would peel the cucumber with a knife and serve it with a bit of salt. “This means she respects you and you respect her back. So, in every Persian meal, you’ll find cucumber.”

Read more about Rottem's family in "A Persian Grandmother and Her Secret Rosh Hashanah Recipes" and try her recipes for red cabbage, date, and beet salad, dolmeh beh (quince stuffed with beef and cardamom), and toot (Persian marzipan).

Ingredients

  • 12 persian cucumbers, cut into quarters lengthwise
  • 1½  tablespoon ground sumac, divided
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
QuickEasyAppetizersRosh HashanahKosher for PassoverGluten FreeVeganVegetarianPareveMiddle East

Preparation

  • Step 1

    Place the cucumbers, 1 tablespoon of sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, and kosher salt into a large bowl. Mix well to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

  • Step 2

    Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle ½ teaspoon of sumac on top and fresh mint if using. Serve immediately.