"THE" IRAQI SALAD ... Tomato, Cucumber, Chickpeas, and Red Beets

Cut the ends off the cucumbers and slice them into three segments.

Cut the cucumber segments into stripes, aiming for pieces the size of chickpeas.

Place the cucumber pieces into a bowl.

Slice 2 Roma tomatoes into quarter-inch slices, then cut them into strips and cube them.

Add the diced tomatoes to the bowl with the cucumbers.

Open a 15-ounce can of chickpeas and dump them into the bowl with the cucumbers and tomatoes.

Slice canned beets into pieces the same size as the chickpeas and place them in a separate bowl to avoid dyeing the other ingredients.

Juice 1 lemon, rolling it on the workbench first to release juices; if using bottled lemon juice, use 2 tablespoons for one lemon.

Sprinkle a little more than a quarter teaspoon of salt and almost a half teaspoon of sumac into the salad bowl.

Mix the salad with hands, then pour in the lemon juice and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mixing again.

Serve the salad in a bowl, adding a tablespoon of sliced beets on top.

Equipment Needed

Dietary