Carrot and Pistachio Salad

This refreshing summer salad is a wonderful way to spruce up the humble carrot and was inspired by an afternoon I spent with Leila Rohbani, a yoga teacher from Tehran. I had a delightful time with her; drinking green tea from small stoneware cups and talking about our favorite recipes in the bright, airy rooms of her home, which doubles as her yoga studio—an oasis of calm in the hectic city, overlooking a garden filled with fig and Pomegranate trees. This makes a lovely addition to a mezze spread, or you could serve it with feta and bread for a more substantial meal.

 

The Saffron Tales

by Yasmin Khan

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb (about 4 cups grated) carrots, peeled and roughly grated
• 1 small bunch mint, finely chopped    
• 1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 1/2 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped

Directions

Combine the carrots, mint, and parsley in a large bowl.

Make the dressing in a small bowl by whisking the lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, salt, and pepper together. Pour the dressing over the carrots and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or black pepper to your taste.

Toast the pistachios in a small pan over a medium heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle the nuts over the salad just before serving.

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Recipe reprinted from The Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen by Yasmin Khan. Copyright 2017 Bloomsbury USA.