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Bostana
Bostana: Urfa's soupy chopped summer salad of tomato, cucumber, pepper and herbs with lemon and isot
In Şanlıurfa a bowl of bostana goes on the table beside every summer meal of kebab, köfte or bulgur pilaf. Tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onion and fistfuls of parsley and mint are chopped very small, seasoned with isot and drowned in lemon juice and a little water, so you spoon up the juices as well as the vegetables. It is meant to be cold, sour and refreshing in the city's fierce heat. Common mistake: making it hours ahead; the cucumber goes limp. Chef's tip: chill the bowl and add a couple of ice cubes just before serving, as Urfa grandmothers do.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 4 ripe tomatoes, 2 small cucumbers, 2 long green peppers and 1 small onion in a chilled bowl with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp isot (Urfa chilli flakes) and stir.
Step 2: Add 4 tbsp lemon juice, ½ cup cold water and 1 tbsp olive oil, then fold in 1 oz flat-leaf parsley and ⅓ oz fresh mint.
Step 3: Drop in 4 ice cubes if you like and serve straight away, with spoons for the juice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bostana take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of small cucumbers?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
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