Ezme (Spicy Turkish Salad) is a traditional Turkish recipe, for a classic salad or relish of chopped tomatoes and chillies with herbs in a red pepper paste and tomato purée base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Turkish version of: Spicy Turkish Salad (Ezme).
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Hailing from southern Türkiye, Ezme is a much loved spread that is served in kebab houses throughout Turkey and beyond. With a touch of chilli paste, tomato puree, and extra virgin olive oil, these simple fresh ingredients produce a surprisingly complex flavour. This can be served as a salad or a condiment.
Ingredients:
1 small white or yellow onion, very finely chopped
1 tbsp Biber Salçası (Turkish red pepper paste)
1 tbsp double concentrated tomato purée
4 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, halved, cored, de-seeded and very finely chopped
2-3 small hot green chillies (like serrano or jalapeño), seeds removed and very finely chopped
4 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp finely-chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 tbsp coarsely-chopped walnuts
Method:
Combine the onion, chilli paste and tomato puree in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to knead the mixture so the pastes blend together and infuse into the onions.
Now stir in the tomatoes, chillies, parsley and mint. Mix thoroughly with your hands for the flavours to meld.
Drizzle over the olive oil and lemon juice then season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Mix well once more to combine then cover the bowl and store in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve. It’s best if left for an hour or so before serving.
Use as a condiment for burger, kebabs, dürüms etc. Alternatively spread on a plate, garnished with walnuts and serve as a salad.
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