Sabszi Khordan (Persian Fresh Herbs with Feta, Walnuts, and Lavash)
Source: Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, The League of Kitchens Cookbook
Recipe Type: Appetizers and Sides | Seasons: Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter
This recipe appears in The League of Kitchens Cookbook (Harper Collins, 2024) by Lisa Kyung Gross and was demonstrated at the Foodwise Classroom on November 16, 2024.
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
½ bunch fresh parsley
½ bunch fresh cilantro
½ bunch fresh mint
½ bunch fresh purple or green basil
½ bunch thin scallions or chives
1 small bunch round red radishes
¼ pound firm feta cheese, optional
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (if using feta)
1 teaspoon dried mint (if using feta)
1 cup shelled walnuts, optional
Lavash or mini pitas, if serving as a snack with feta and walnuts
PREPARATION
- Prepare the vegetables: Remove any old, thick, or damaged leaves from the parsley, cilantro, mint, purple or green basil, and scallions or chives. Make sure everything is very well washed and fully dried.
- Pick the leaves from the cilantro, basil, mint, and parsley and discard the stems. Pile the leaves on a large serving platter. Toss the leaves gently with your hands so they’re fluffy and mixed together. If you make this using only one variety of herb, you don’t need to pick the leaves—just remove any thick stems and serve the whole sprigs.
- Use your hands to tear or break the scallions into 3-inch long pieces and place them in a pile alongside the herbs.
- Trim the ends of the round red radishes and slice them into 1/4-inch rounds, then arrange them on top of the herbs. (You can also leave them whole, or even score the ends with a crosshatch design.)
- If you’re adding the feta and walnuts: Cut the firm feta into ¾-inch cubes and sprinkle it over the top of the herbs and radishes, then drizzle the top of the feta with the extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with dried mint, crumbling it between your fingertips. Pile the shelled walnuts on the plate.
- If eating with bread, prepare the bread: Cut the lavash into quarters or the mini pita into halves. Set them out next to the salad platter in a basket or on another plate.
- Serve and eat the sabzi khordan: Let each person take what they want from the platter. If you’re serving it with other food, eat a bite of herbs, scallion, or radish between bites of other food. If you’re serving the sabzi khordan as a light meal or snack, use your fingers to spread the cube of feta across a piece of lavash, add some of each of the other ingredients, then roll the lavash up into a cylinder. If you’re serving pita, you can just tuck the ingredients into a pocket, gently crushing the feta in between the bread before you add the rest of the herbs and vegetables.
- Serve this with any of Mab’s dishes, including the green bean tahdig and the chicken kabobs. When serving sabszi khordan as part of a larger meal, omit the walnuts, feta, olive oil, dried mint, and bread.
