Ye'abesha Selata, Ethiopian House Salad
Ye'abesha selata is the everyday green salad that rounds out an Ethiopian platter, romaine and tomato and onion cut through with green chile and lemon. Most versions lean on oil, but the dish does not need it: lemon juice both dresses the leaves and tames the onion. Slice the onion thin and give it a few minutes in the juice before anything else goes in, since that head start is what makes it taste seasoned rather than harsh. Serve it the moment it is tossed, because romaine wilts fast once the acid hits.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Romaine, chopped
- 2 Fresh tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
- 1/2 Red onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, coarsely ground
Method
- Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl with the lemon juice while you chop everything else, about 5 minutes. The acid draws the raw sulfur bite out of the onion and seasons it, which is the job salt would normally do here.
- Tear or chop the romaine into bite-size pieces and pile it in a wide bowl with the tomato wedges and sliced chile. A wide bowl keeps the leaves from bruising when you toss.
- Scrape the onion and all its lemon juice over the top and grind on the black pepper. That macerated juice is the whole dressing, so do not leave any in the bowl.
- Toss once and serve right away while the romaine is still crisp. This is the plain cold plate that sits on injera next to hot lentil and vegetable stews, there to be raw and sharp against everything rich.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 35 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber, 15 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.
