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Slata mechouia
Tunisian grilled pepper and tomato salad, chopped and dressed with caraway
Slata mechouia means 'grilled salad', and in Tunisia it opens almost every family meal and Ramadan iftar: peppers, tomatoes, onion and garlic charred over coals until blackened, then peeled and chopped into a smoky relish with olive oil, caraway and coriander seed. It is scooped up with bread or served next to grilled food and couscous. A tuna and egg topping is common in restaurants; this version keeps it to vegetables and olives. Chef's tip: let the vegetables steam in a covered bowl after charring; the skins then slip off in seconds.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Grill 4 long green peppers (or 2 green and 1 red bell pepper), 3 tomatoes, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic and 1 green chilli over a gas flame, barbecue or under a very hot grill, turning, until blackened and blistered all over and soft: about 5 minutes for the garlic, 10–15 for the peppers and tomatoes, 20–25 for the onion.
25 minStep 2: Put everything in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 10 minutes to steam.
10 minStep 3: Peel off the charred skins; it does not matter if a few black flecks stay. Remove the pepper seeds. Common mistake: rinsing the vegetables under the tap — you wash away the smoky flavour.
Step 4: Chop everything finely together on a board, or pound lightly in a mortar, until it is a rough relish.
Step 5: Mix in ½ tsp ground caraway, ½ tsp ground coriander, ¾ tsp salt, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Serve at room temperature with 8 black olives on top if you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does slata mechouia take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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