Cucumber, Mint, and Sumac Salad

Name: Cucumber, Mint, and Sumac Salad
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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)

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.”

This recipe is featured in our cookbook "The Jewish Holiday Table: A World of Recipes, Traditions & Stories to Celebrate All Year Long." For more holiday recipes from around the world, get your copy!

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

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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)

AppetizersKosher for PassoverGluten FreeVeganVegetarianPareveQuickEasyRosh HashanahMiddle 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.

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Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

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