Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme)
Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme) is a spicy Turkish dip commonly served at restaurants alongside a basket of warm Turkish Pide Bread or Pita Bread.
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine: Turkish
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings: 4 portions
Calories: 128kcal
For the Sauce
- 1 clove garlic (pasted)
- ½ tablespoon red pepper paste
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 40 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
For the Salad
- 2 medium tomatoes (approx 250 grams)
- 2 Turkish green peppers or ½ green bell pepper (approx 50 grams)
- 1 red romano pepper (approx 50 grams)
- 1 small onion
- 2 Persian or Turkish cucumber (approx 200 grams)
- 2 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley
Preparing the sauce
Turn the garlic into a paste using a pestle and mortar, or finely grate using a Microplane and place it in a bowl.
Add the red pepper paste, tomato paste, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt, pul biber and dried mint to the bowl.
Give them a good stir using a whisk or a spoon and set it aside.
Prepare the vegetables
Finely dice the tomatoes, peppers (both red and green), onion and cucumber using a sharp knife. Place them in a large bowl.
Alternatively, you can use a food processor to chop your vegetables. The texture and the taste won't be as good as hand-chopped but will save you time if you are in a rush.
Finely chop the parsley leaves and add them to the vegetables.
Add the sauce to the vegetables, stir well until all combined and place the salad in a serving bowl.
Drizzle extra olive oil and pomegranate molasses over it when serving.
Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 615mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2059IU | Vitamin C: 104mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg