Gavurdağı Salatası is yet another light salad of Turkish cuisine. The main ingredients of this salad are juicy tomatoes, spring onions, green pepper, parsley, pomegranate syrup, and crushed walnut halves. This salad is the must-have salad on all kebab restaurants’ menus.
When we translate this salad’s name into English, it may sound so funny to you. It translates as Gavur Mountain Salad. Gavurdagı Salad received its name from the mountain located between Adana city and the Ceyhan River.
Once foreigners first see Gavurdagi Salad, it may look like a dip more than a salad. The simplicity of the core ingredients lets you think that it is a dip; however, it is a very refreshing salad. Once you combine the juicy tomatoes and pomegranate syrup with any salad, you get a very refreshing blend. In southern cities of Turkey, pomegranate syrup widely uses in salads because pomegranate production is made in the southern region of Turkey.
Where to Eat?
When you go to a kebab restaurant in Adana city, Gaziantep city, and Hatay city, the waiter brings Gavurdağı Salatası and lavash bread to the table without asking you. You can consider it as ‚on-the-house salad. It is the most common Turkish salad variety in the south and southeast region of Turkey.
I personally like to eat this salad with Adana Kebab. Gavurdağı Salad and Adana Kebab suit well to each other by taste. If you are visiting the southern part of Turkey and stop by a kebab restaurant, this famous Turkish salad will surely be on your table. However, if you are visiting other cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, or İzmir, you need to ask the waiter if they have it or not on their menu. Usually, most kebab restaurants put this delicious salad on their menu.
If you are in İstanbul and want to give it a try to Gavurdağı Salad, I recommend you stop by Hamdi Restaurant. The restaurant has delicious kebabs, salads, and desserts. The restaurant also has an amazing Bosporus view. I believe; you will leave the restaurant with a very happy face.
Gavurdağı Salatası
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp pomegranate syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 tbsp red chili pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 4 tomatoes peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch parsley leaves finely chopped
- 15 Walnut Halves finely chopped
- 5 Walnut Halves (to garnish) roughly chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 spring onions finely chopped
- 2 green pepper finely chopped
Instructions
-
Mix the all the ingredients and season it with pomegranate syrup, fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
-
Garnished with the roughly chopped 5 walnut halves and serve.
