Shirazi salad ( fa, سالاد شیرازی ''sālād shirāzi'')
is an
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
salad that originated from and is named after
Shiraz
Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As o ...
in southern
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
.
It is a relatively modern dish, dating to sometime after the introduction of the tomato to Iran at the end of the nineteenth century in the
Qajar era.
Its primary ingredients are cucumber, tomato, onion, olive oil, herbal spices and
verjuice
Verjuice ( ; from Middle French ''vertjus'' 'green juice') is a highly acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes, crab-apples or other sour fruit. Sometimes lemon or sorrel juice, herbs or spices are added to change the flavour. In the Midd ...
, although
lime juice
A lime (from French ''lime'', from Arabic ''līma'', from Persian ''līmū'', "lemon") is a citrus fruit, which is typically round, green in color, in diameter, and contains acidic juice vesicles.
There are several species of citrus trees ...
is sometimes used in its preparation.
In Iran, it is eaten in the summer as a
side dish on its own, and year-round as a side dish alongside meat-based foods such as
kebab
Kebab (, ; ar, كباب, link=no, Latn, ar, kabāb, ; tr, kebap, link=no, ) or kabob (North American) is a type of cooked meat dish that originates from cuisines of the Middle East. Many variants of the category are popular around the wor ...
and as a side dish before and after meals.
Shirazi salad is sometimes served as an accompaniment to rice such as
loobia polo, an Iranian rice dish made with green beans and tomatoes.
Cookbook author Jila Dana-Haeri describes it as a refreshing dish during the summer.
Shirazi salad has been described as being akin to a national salad in Iran, and it is a common meal accompaniment.
It may also be used in a manner similar to that of a condiment, to reduce the spiciness of stews.
It typically has a crisp and moist texture,
and is somewhat similar to
pico de gallo and
Israeli salad.
Ingredients
![Loobia Polo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Loobia_Polo.png)
The primary ingredients of Shirazi salad consist of small, finely-diced
cucumber
Cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated Vine#Horticultural climbing plants, creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical Fruit, fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables. ,
tomato
The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
and
onion
An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...
, which is mixed with verjuice (or sometimes fresh lemon or lime juice) and some dried mint.
Olive oil, salt, and pepper may be used,
and additional ingredients may include chopped mint, parsley, scallions, dill,
sumac, and red vinegar.
The salad may have a sour and salty flavor, and its flavor may increase after being set for an hour or longer before serving, which allows time for the flavors to intermingle.
It may be served with breads such as
pita
Pita ( or ) or pitta (British English), is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, als ...
and
lavash,
or with cheese and/or walnuts.
See also
*
Afghan salad
Afghan salad is a salad in Afghan cuisine that is prepared with the primary ingredients of diced tomato, cucumber, onion, carrot, cilantro, mint and lime or sometimes lemon juice. Salt and pepper may be used to season the dish. Additional ingredi ...
*
Arab salad
Arab salad or Arabic salad is any of a variety of salad dishes that form part of Arab cuisine. Combining many different fruits and spices, and often served as part of a mezze, Arab salads include those from Algeria and Tunisia such as the "Algeri ...
*
Pico de gallo
*
Çoban salatası
Çoban salatası or choban salad ( Turkish for "shepherd's salad") is a salad that originated from Turkish cuisine and Azerbaijani cuisine consisting of finely chopped tomatoes (preferably peeled), cucumbers, long green peppers, onion, and fla ...
*
Israeli salad
*
Kachumbari
Kachumbari is a fresh tomato and onion salad dish that is popular in the cuisines of the African Great Lakes region. It is an uncooked salad dish consisting of chopped tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers. Variations of kachumbari can be found in ...
*
Serbian salad
Serbian salad ( sr, Српска салата / ''Srpska salata'') is a vegetable salad, usually served during summer with roast meat and other dishes. It is made from diced fresh tomatoes, cucumber and onions, usually seasoned with sunflower oil ...
*
List of salads
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes including: green salads; vegetable salads; long beans; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They often include vegetables and fruits. ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
How to make Shirazi SaladSalad Shirazi ~ Persian Salad From City Of Shiraz
{{portal bar, Food, Iran
Salads
Iranian cuisine
Culture in Shiraz