Turkish Acili Ezme Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Total Time
15 mins
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Servings
4 portions
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Calories
128 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Salad, Appetizer, Condiments
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Cuisine
Turkish
Turkish Acili Ezme Salad
Description
Acili Ezme Salad is prepared by first making a sauce that blends garlic paste with red pepper and tomato pastes, fresh lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt, chili flakes, and dried mint. The vegetables — tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, onion, and parsley — are finely chopped by hand to preserve texture and freshness, then combined with the sauce and thoroughly mixed.
The salad offers a vibrant flavor profile with fresh, crisp vegetables and a spicy, tangy, slightly sweet dressing from pomegranate molasses and lemon. The hand chopping preserves a coarser texture, contributing to a pleasant bite that contrasts with the smooth, rich sauce. The chili flakes allow adjustable heat to suit preferences.
This salad is a versatile accompaniment, commonly served as an appetizer or side. It pairs well with grilled meats or as part of a meze spread. Using fresh, high-quality ingredients is emphasized to maximize flavor impact. The dressing can be adjusted for individual taste, and parsley is better hand-chopped to avoid a watery mixture.
Adjusting spice levels gradually is advised. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferred over bottled. The recipe encourages customizing vegetable and spice amounts as a starting point to suit personal tastes.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 clove garlic (pasted)
- ½ tablespoon red pepper paste
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 40 ml lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes pul biber
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
For the Salad
- 2 medium tomato approx 250 grams
- 2 green bell pepper approx 50 grams, Turkish green peppers or ½ green bell pepper
- 1 red romano pepper (approx 50 grams)
- 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Preparing the sauce
- Turn the garlic into a paste using a pestle and mortar, or finely grate using a Microplane and place it in a bowl.
- Add the red pepper paste, tomato paste, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt, pul biber and dried mint to the bowl.
- Give them a good stir using a whisk or a spoon and set it aside.
Prepare the vegetables
- Finely dice the tomatoes, peppers (both red and green), and onion using a sharp knife. Place them in a large bowl.
- Alternatively, you can use a food processor to chop your vegetables. The texture and the taste won't be as good as hand-chopped but will save you time if you are in a rush.
- Finely chop the parsley leaves and add them to the vegetables.
- Add the sauce to the vegetables, stir well until all combined and place the salad in a serving bowl.
- Drizzle extra olive oil and pomegranate molasses over it when serving.
Notes
- Use the freshest vegetables and herbs for best flavor impact.
- Adjust spiciness by adding chili flakes gradually to taste.
- Hand-chop parsley to avoid watery texture in the salad.
- Prefer freshly squeezed lemon juice over bottled for optimal freshness.
- Feel free to adjust ingredient amounts to suit your flavor preferences.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4portions
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 128kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Sodium | 615mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 444mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 2059IU | 41% |
| Vitamin C | 104mg | 116% |
| Calcium | 32mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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