Salatet Jarjir, Levantine Arugula and Sumac Salad
Jarjir is arugula, and across the Levant it turns up in a fast, sharp salad that leans on sumac rather than salt. The peppery leaves want a strong dressing, so this one skips oil entirely and lets lemon and pomegranate molasses do the work, sour and a little sweet at once. Sumac, the ground dried berry that tastes like tart lemon with a saline edge, is dusted over everything and folded into the dressing, which is how the plate reads seasoned without a pinch of salt. Pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts add the crunch and the color. Build it in the minute before you eat it, since arugula wilts the moment it is dressed.
Ingredients
- 5 oz Arugula
- 2 wholes Fresh tomatoes, cut in wedges
- 1/2 whole Red onions, sliced thin
- 1 tbsp Sumac
- 1/2 whole Pomegranate, seeds only
- 1/4 cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Soak the sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain. This rinses away the harsh sulfur compounds so the raw onion tastes sweet and sharp instead of hot.
- Whisk the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, half the sumac, and the black pepper into a dressing. With no oil, the acid and the molasses are the whole thing, so taste and balance sour against the faint sweetness of the molasses.
- Toss the arugula, tomato wedges, and drained onion with the dressing right before serving. Arugula is delicate and collapses fast once acid hits it, so dress it at the table, not ahead.
- Scatter the pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and remaining sumac over the top. The sumac stands in for salt: it is tart, fruity, and faintly saline, which is exactly why Levantine cooks reach for it.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 130 calories, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 20 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
