Video by Chef Ara Zada
A fresh, herb-forward salad with crunchy green almonds, cool cucumber, and a simple lemon-cumin dressing.
Chaghaleh Badoom (green almonds) are young, fuzzy, and unripe almonds, revered in Iran as a seasonal springtime treat, often enjoyed raw with salt.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups arugula
- 3 green onions
- 2 Tb chopped cilantro
- 2 Tb chopped mint
- 2 Persian cucumbers
- 5 green almonds
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1 lemon
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch of cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
STEPS:
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tsp olive oil, the juice and zest of 1 piece lemon, juiced and zested, 1 pinch ground cumin, 1 pinch salt, and 1 pinch black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Halve 5 piece green almonds, halved lengthwise — you’ll enjoy their milky, slightly tangy crunch raw. Slice 2 piece Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin rounds.
Spread 3 cup arugula on a platter or in a bowl. Scatter 3 piece green onions, thinly sliced, 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, and the cucumbers over the top.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Top with the green almonds and 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled. Serve immediately.
NOTES:
Green almonds are only in season spring through early summer – find them at Middle Eastern grocery stores or farmers markets. Their jelly-like interior and tender shell are eaten whole.
No green almonds? Substitute slivered raw almonds for crunch, though the flavor will be nuttier and less tart.
