This simple but incredibly tasty salad comes from East Africa and is served in Kenya or Tanzania with grilled meats or fish, but it can be served with any vegetarian or vegan dish as well, on its own, or as an appetizer to a bigger menu.
Ingredients:
- 2 heirloom tomatoes
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium large purple onion
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, optional
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs: flat parsley, mint and cilantro
- freshly pressed juice of 2 limes
- Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
- Slice the onions into halves and each half into thin slices. I do not mind the raw onions, but the people in Eastern Africa prefer to cure the onions to make them more palatable and to prevent gastric discomfort and body odor. To cure the onions, pour ice cold water into a bowl. Add about a table spoon of sea salt and stir well. Toss the onion slices into the water, mix well and allow to soak for five to ten minutes. Pour the salted water out and rinse the sliced onions with cold water. Drain well. This water bath removes the strong onion taste and smell.
- Transfer the cured onion slices into a salad bowl. Set aside.
- Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, slice the heirloom tomatoes and the cherry tomatoes. Toss the tomato slices into a bowl with onions.
- Slice the jalapeño pepper, if using. Discard the seeds if you do not want the salad to be too hot. Add the sliced jalapeño to the bowl with onions and tomatoes, and mix gently.
- Add chopped herbs, salt and the lime juice to the salad bowl. Mix well.
- Portion out the salad, add freshly ground black pepper and serve right away. Enjoy in good company!
Tip: You can expand this salad by adding sliced bell pepper, sliced cucumber and chopped avocado. The original recipe does not require any olive oil but I love to add a little to facilitate the absorption of fat soluble carotenoid compounds.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
Dominique Allmon©2023