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Salade tunisienne
Diced tomato and cucumber salad
Salade tunisienne (slata tounsia): finely diced tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion with lemon, olive oil, eggs and olives
Every Tunisian table, from Tunis to Sfax, has a plate of slata tounsia on it, especially at lunch in summer and at iftar in Ramadan: tomato, cucumber, green pepper and onion cut into tiny, even dice and dressed with lemon, olive oil and dried mint. It is usually crowned with tuna and hard-boiled egg; this vegetarian version leaves out the tuna and uses a little more egg, plus olives and capers for the salty kick. A portion gives about 8 g of protein, so it is a side salad rather than a high-protein dish. The usual mistake is dressing it too early: the salt draws the juice out of the tomato and the salad swims, so dress it just before serving. Chef's tip: take the time to dice everything to the size of a chickpea; that fine, even cut is what makes it taste like Tunisia rather than a chopped salad.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 ripe tomatoesabout 500 g, cut into small dice
- 1 cucumberabout 300 g, cut into small dice
- 1 green peppercut into small dice
- 1 red onionsmall, finely diced
- 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
- 1 tsp dried mint
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
To top
- 4 eggs
- 12 black olives
- 1 tbsp capersrinsed
- 1 tsp harissa (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Lower 4 eggs into boiling water and boil for 10 minutes, until the yolks are firm all the way through. Cool in cold water, peel and cut into quarters.
10 minStep 2: While the eggs cook, put 4 ripe tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 1 green pepper, 1 red onion and 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley into a bowl. Tip away any juice that collects.
Step 3: Just before serving, whisk 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp dried mint, rubbing the mint between your fingers. Pour over the vegetables and toss.
Step 4: Spread on a platter, arrange the egg quarters, 12 black olives and 1 tbsp capers on top, and add dots of 1 tsp harissa for anyone who wants heat. Serve within 15 minutes, with bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does salade tunisienne take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of cucumber?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
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