This Lebanese fattoush recipe is good for hot weather. The salad uses two unusual ingredients: sumac and purslane. Sumac, usually sold ground, is made from ground red berries and used in Middle Eastern, mainly Lebanese, cooking. Purslane is a succulent with a lemony flavor and makes a nice salad green. I find them at farmers' markets.
Ingredients
- water: 0.5 cup
- cornstarch: 1 tsp
- lemon juice: 0.33333 cup
- garlic: 2 clove (minced)
- sumac powder: 2 tsp
- salt and ground black pepper: (to taste)
- head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces: 1 piece
- tomatoes: 2 piece (diced)
- green bell pepper: 1 piece (chopped)
- medium cucumber: 1 piece (diced)
- purslane: 1 cup (chopped)
- green onions: 4 piece (chopped)
- arugula: 0.5 pack (5 ounce pack)
- fresh flat-leaf parsley: 0.25 cup (chopped)
- fresh mint: 0.25 cup (chopped)
- pita rounds, toasted and torn into pieces: 4 piece
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Make dressing: Stir together water and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened. Remove from heat and mix in lemon juice, garlic, sumac, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Assemble salad: Combine lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, purslane, green onions, arugula, parsley, and mint in a large serving bowl. Toss with dressing and serve with toasted pita.
