Gazawia Wanderlust Anthropologist Filmmaker Food-a-holic

Passport & Plate - Daggah - Gaza Salad (video attached!)

Palestine | Thursday, March 5, 2015 | 2 photos

Ingredients
garlic (1 clove)
basil (a few leaves)
tomatoes (2 ripe)
hot pepper (i.e. serrano) (1-2 depending how much heat you like)
lemon (1)
salt (to taste, between a dash and 1 tsp)
extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle on top)
arabic bread

How to prepare this recipe
get a good mortar and pestle, ideally something like a mexican mocajete; mash the garlic and a bit of salt.
add the hot pepper and basil and mash (real gazans like it very spicy)
chop tomatoes and add to mojacete and mash
season with lemon and more salt if necessary
drizzle on top with olive oil
serve with warm arabic (pita) bread

The story behind this recipe
This is a very typical salad made in Gaza, Palestine. We eat it alongside seafood, as part of a mezza, or with almost any meal. Everyone has their own recipe and many people make it with dill instead of basil. I make another version where I substitute the basil and garlic for onion and dill - and to that version I add a bit of tahini. It's amazing with seafood.
People from Gaza pride themselves on their ability to handle very spicy peppers, so this dish becomes an occasion for contests and bravado.

I was frustrated in 2006 when Gaza was being bombed and it seemed the only thing my friends in Houston knew about it was war and violence and devastation. We have a very beautiful and vibrant culture, and so I made this short film (with my uncle who lives there speaking in the background). You can see the salad being made in the film as well:

https://vimeo.com/58050736