Tunisian Mashwi salad / سلطة مشوي تونسية

 
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I stumbled on this dish while I was trying to find an afghan bread bakery in an area called international city in Dubai.

I was like a headless chicken going around and around to find the bakery. I knew it was close, but sometimes we can't see what is so close to us and the roads all looked the same which did not help. Hungry and agitated I saw a tiny restaurant with a sign that said cuscusi. Yum, I thought to myself as my tummy rumbled. I entered, I was a bit wary about the restaurant, it was very shabby, all men in sight and no women. The manager greeted me with the biggest smile that changed my mind. He sat me in a corner and gave me the menu. I have never had Tunisian food before, so I asked him what he recommends. "Mashwi salad": he said. When I looked at the ingredients, I was not so sure how they all work together but that never stopped my curiosity. I handed him the responsibility to serve me his favourite dishes. He did, everything was divine, but this salad stuck to my palate. Since then whoever had it at my home wondered about the melange of flavours before the tasting but, ended adoring it.

This salad is so simple to make with a bonus of complex flavours. The charred vegetables blended with aromatic spices, a hint of heat and olive oil is so addictive and irresistible, you can't have enough.

The health benefits of this dish are many. Combined it is rich in Vitamin C, E, K, D, B6, B12, folate, potassium zinc, iron and copper. It is high in fibre and a good source of omega 3 oil.

Excellent for a healthy diet lifestyle.

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 green peppers

  • 1 onion

  • 2 medium tomato

  • 1 clove garlic

  • 1 chilli pepper

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • ½ teaspoon caraway seed powder

  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder

  • salt

  • black pepper

  • squeeze lemon

  • 2 eggs, hard-boiled

  • 120 grams tuna in water

  • 10 green olives

Method:

* Wash and grill the vegetables- including the garlic and chilli pepper- following the instructions in my grilled vegetables on the fire video. Make sure you peel the onion layers beforehand.

* Once cooled peel the peppers and discard the seeds and then peel the tomatoes.

* Chop all the grilled vegetables together with a sharp knife until fine.

* Season with salt, pepper, caraway powder and coriander powder and adjust to your liking.

* Add a squeeze of lemon to taste.

* Place on a serving plate and top with quartered hard-boiled eggs, olives and the drained Tuna.

* Eat with bread or as a dip.

Tips:

* You can chop the vegetables in a processor but you will loose too much water.

* The amount of olive oil to add is optional, add as much as you please.

* Experiment with any spices you fancy.

* There is nothing to stop you from using red and yellow peppers.

* Eat with bread, as bruschetta or eat with celery and lettuce as dieting option.

Per Serving: 192 Calories; 11g Fat (50.7% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fibre; 115mg Cholesterol; 235mg Sodium.