This vibrant salad sits in the middle of the table every day during the fasting month of Ramadan.  At the end of a long day when you haven’t eaten or drunk anything, it’s a little hint of heaven — cold, fresh and green.  Especially if Ramadan happens to be in summer.  Back when I was growing up in Lebanon, my grandparents were able to gather the ingredients from the orchard behind their house.  As long as the chickens didn’t break in, their summer vegetable garden provided us with delicious salads every day.  Of course, the extra element that makes fattoush special beyond the freshness of the herbs and vegetables is the toasted pitta bread that you need to break up and scatter through the salad.

 

 

 

Ingredients

1/ 2 Bunch of flat parsley

10 Mint leaves

A handful lamb’s lettuce if available

7 Leaves of cos lettuce

2 Tomatoes

1/2 Cucumber

1 Green pepper

5 Radishes

1 Lemon juiced

3 large spoons of olive oil

1 large spoon of white grape vinegar

1/2 tea spoon of salt

1 tea spoon sumac – tangy Lebanese red spice

1 tea spoon of dry mint

1 Lebanese flat bread

Wash all the vegetables and cut into bite-size pieces

Put in a large salad bowl and cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to chill, until you are ready to serve.

Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice into a large cup, add olive oil, vinegar, salt, sumac, and mint

Whisk and leave to one side until ready to serve the fattoush.

Grill the bread on both sides either in the oven or in the toaster till golden – Lebanese bread burns very quickly so be extra careful.

Cut the bread into small pieces.

Once you are ready to serve the salad, pour the lemon juice mixture on the vegetables, sprinkle the bread on top and give it a good mix.

Serve immediately