Authentic recipe of Afghan Salad (original way that it is being cooked in Kabul), a refreshing and colorful dish popular in Afghan cuisine, combines fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and herbs. The simplicity and straightforwardness of this dish is a brilliant kind of genius born out of necessity: the need to use fresh, seasonal produce. Its true flavor shines in Afghanistan, where tomatoes and cucumbers grown under the hot sun have a uniquely rich taste and aroma often lacking in greenhouse vegetables elsewhere. In the USSR, and later in Russia, this dish became popular thanks to Afghan students. It was commonly prepared in student dormitories and at markets as a simple, cheap, and tasty salad. Over time, the recipe was adapted to local tastes and ingredient availability (for example, lemon juice was often replaced with vinegar), but the core remained the same.
Cooking Time:
15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 medium tomatoes, cut into large chunks
2 cucumbers, cut into large chunks
1 small red onion, cut into wedges
1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe:
Wash and cut the tomatoes and cucumbers into large chunks.
Cut the onion into wedges; finely chop the green chili if using.
Combine the chopped vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
Add freshly chopped cilantro.
Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Mix gently to combine all flavors evenly without crushing the vegetables.
Chill briefly before serving for best taste.
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