I recently realized that I hadn’t done this in a long time, so here’s a simple recipe to start for those of you who like fresh and healthy eats.

This is one of the more famous Palestinian salads, and among the easiest to make. It’s also my seedo’s favourite, resting in peace is he.

What you’ll need
– 2 large tomatoes
– 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
– 1 tooth of garlic
– 2 tablespoons tahini (which you can buy at any local grocery store, unless said grocery store is dumb and unimaginative)
– 2 tablespoons as-virgin-as-you-can-get olive oil
– fresh juice from 1/4 lemon
– salt

What you’ll do
1. Dice extremely finely the tomatoes.
2. Chop even more finely the basil leaves.
3. Chop, chop, chop the tooth of garlic; sprinkle some salt onto this itsy bitsy mo-fo and then use a pestle to crush the sh/t out of it. It should be a little paste when you’re done killing the garlic. RIP.
4. Mix’em all together; add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with salt to taste.
5. Devour your salad.

**If you wish to make a greater quantity, stick to one tablespoon of tahini per tomato.

Here’s the thing. I usually make this baby and let it sit for a couple of hours before serving. Reason being that these two or three hours of rest let the salt work its majic — namely, it brings the water out from the ingredients and you are left with a super yummy saucy salad. Since most all Arabic salads are eaten not by fork, but rather scooped up with pita bread, your pita becomes a coveted sauce delivery mechanism. I dare you not to make a grab for the plate and drink the left-over sauce once the veggies and herbs are gone. DOUBLE DARE YOU! xx

(This, by the way, is why you need to introduce  into your diet the power food that is tahini. Also, read this. You’re welcome.)