Spicy Ezme Salad (v) Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Wash all vegetables and parsley. Core the tomatoes and remove seeds if very watery; then finely dice tomatoes into approximately 3–4 mm pieces. Peel the red onion and finely mince to the same size as the tomato dice. Remove stems and seeds from both bell peppers and finely dice to match the tomato and onion size. Finely chop the parsley (stems mostly removed) so it is similar in texture to the other ingredients. Mince the garlic very finely or grate it on a microplane.

Salt and rest

Place the diced tomatoes in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Toss and let sit 5–10 minutes so excess tomato juices release; this concentrates flavor and prevents the final salad from becoming too watery. After resting, drain off a little of the excess juice if there is a lot, or reserve it if you prefer a looser dressing.

Combine ingredients

Add the minced onion, diced red and green peppers, chopped parsley, and minced garlic to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the freshly ground black pepper, and the optional sumac if using. Toss gently to combine so ingredients are evenly distributed.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or measuring cup whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and pomegranate molasses until emulsified. Taste and adjust: add more pomegranate molasses for sweetness/tang, or more lemon for brightness. Stir in the red chilli flakes (start with 1 tsp; add more to taste for heat).

Dress and finish

Pour the dressing over the chopped salad and toss gently but thoroughly so all pieces are coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, chilli flakes, or lemon as desired. Let the salad sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld.

Serve

Serve the ezme salad slightly chilled or at room temperature as a meze, side salad or accompaniment to grilled proteins. Garnish with a light sprinkle of extra parsley or a few extra pomegranate molasses drops if desired.