Fattoush salad is a popular healthy dish. It is considered one of the main dishes on the dining tables in the Levantine countries, specifically Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, where the salad was known as “Abu Mleih”.
By the time, the rest of the Levantine countries got to know the recipe as it’s becoming a more popular dish.
The Fattoush dish is completely different from any type of salad as the vegetables are cut into large pieces with a special topping made of lemon juice, olive oil and sumac. It’s usually decorated with toasted or fried bread.
Also, click here to read the article in Arabic.
The Fattoush Story
At the end of March 1862, a group of wealthy Christians fled the massacres that took place in Mount Lebanon and went to the city of Zahle at Dar Al-Fattoush and Al-Skaf.
Dar Al-Fattoush residents welcomed them with delicious meals containing meat, but they refused to eat as they vowed to fast in case they survived the massacres. They ate vegetables because that time coincided with the time of Great Lent that is followed by Easter.
Note: At that time Easter was on Sunday, April 20, 1862.
Versatile salad dishes such as Mutabal and Tabbouleh were known to be served alongside the main food dishes. However, some of the Christian guests ate the salad with bread, which brought laughter to one of the attendees and said to the owner of the house: “Fattoush, see your guests!! They’re eating a salad with bread, this is a new meal.”
Then, Patriarch Gregory Youssef replied to him, saying: “Let’s call it Fattoush, and eat it at the days of Lent.”
The Muslim neighbors of Zahle also knew the Fattoush receipe and added it to their tables at the time of their fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Since that day, it’s become a tradition in the Levant to eat Fattoush during Ramadan and the Great Lent.
Hence, the name of the Fattoush salad is attributed to Dar Fattoush which its residents’ lineage dates back to the Quraysh tribe. They moved to the Bekaa Valley during the Fatimid era and converted to Christianity per the arrival of the Catholic missionaries.
What are the Ingredients of Fattoush Salad?
This salad consists of cucumber, tomato, and radish pieces, which are cut into large pieces, unlike any other salad, in addition to fresh mint, lettuce and green onions. In the end, add lemon juice mixed with pomegranate molasses, olive oil and decorate with fried bread and pomegranate seeds.
How to Prepare Fattoush Salad?
The Ingredients:
- A pile of fresh mint
- Two seeds of radish
- Three cucumbers
- Two tomatoes
- A pile of Leek
- A bunch of green onions
- Three leaves of lettuce (you can add more if desired)
The Sauce:
- Three tablespoons of olive oil
- A tablespoon of sumac
- 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses
- A small spoonful of lemon juice
The Decoration:
- Fried bread (Shami bread cut into cubes and fried in oil or toasted in the oven as desired)
- Pomegranate seeds (optional)
The Preparation:
Radish, cucumber, onion and tomato are cut into large pieces. Mint is cut without chopping, leeks and lettuce are also cut into small pieces and mixed together. Then, the sauce is prepared by adding olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice together. They are added to the salad and sprinkled with sumac. Finally, decorate with fried or toasted bread.
The Cost:
The Ingredients are usually available at homes (considered relatively cheap).
The recipe is enough for 2, and you can add more ingredients according to the number of people.
Also, click here to know the most famous dishes of Luxor.
