This salad is easy to put together and once you make it, you’ll find that the minty creamy flavor compliments many dishes—from grilled meat or fish to lentils and rice. In Lebanese cooking, a side of yogurt is frequently served with stuffed zucchini, cabbage rolls with beef, and lentil dishes.

Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

by Julie Awad

Serves 2

TOTAL

10 mins

Ingredients

1 small thin cucumber, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed and finely minced

1 cup plain yogurt

garnish

dried mint

fresh mint leaves

small cucumber, sliced and halved

Method

Put the chopped cucumber in a small bowl and sprinkle it with some kosher salt and let it sweat for 20 minutes. Removing the excess water from the cucumber will keep your salad from getting too watery.

Blot the cucumber dry and combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well.

to serve

Spoon the salad into a serving dish and garnish with cucumber slices, a sprig of fresh mint, and a few sprinkles of the dried mint.

Serve immediately or refrigerate.