Shlada Fjel, Moroccan Radish and Orange Salad
Shlada fjel is the Moroccan radish salad, sliced thin and dressed with orange and a whisper of cinnamon, a cool and slightly sweet counterpoint to heavier tagines. The pairing of peppery radish, sweet orange, and warm spice is the whole idea, and it needs no sugar because the fruit carries it. Slice the radishes as thin as you can manage so they soften and lose their bite in the citrus. Serve it cold and freshly dressed, since the radishes weep and go limp if it sits too long.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 Oranges
- 1/2 Lemons, juiced
- 1/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon, ground
- 2 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Slice the radishes as thinly as you can, a mandoline helps. Thin slices soften in the juice and trade their raw sharpness for crunch, which is what keeps this salad from biting back.
- Segment one orange over the bowl to catch every drop of juice, and squeeze the second orange for its juice. That fresh juice, along with the lemon, is the entire dressing, so none of it should be wasted down the drain.
- Toss the radishes and orange segments with the juices, the cinnamon, and the parsley. The warm cinnamon against the sweet orange is the Moroccan move that makes this taste sweet without any sugar added.
- Let the salad sit for 5 minutes so the radishes drink up the citrus, then serve cold. It is a bright, cooling plate meant to sit beside a rich tagine or a bowl of couscous.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 55 calories, 1 g protein, 3 g fiber, 25 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.
