Uzbek Achichuk Tomato Salad with Flatbread

Ingredients

• 6 ripe tomatoes, very thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion, paper-thin sliced
• 4 flatbreads or non bread
• 2 to 3 green chilies, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped dill and cilantro
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp neutral or olive oil, optional
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper

Steps

1. Slice the onion as thinly as you possibly can, ideally on a mandoline. Thick onion dominates a salad this simple.
2. Soak the sliced onion in a bowl of iced water for 10 minutes to take out its raw harshness, then drain and pat completely dry.
3. Slice the tomatoes thinly and lay them out in a wide, shallow dish rather than piling them in a bowl.
4. Salt the tomatoes evenly and leave them for 10 minutes. They will release their juice, and that juice is the entire dressing; achichuk traditionally has no added liquid at all.
5. Scatter the drained onion, chilies, cumin, and coriander over the tomatoes and turn everything gently once.
6. Add the oil only if you want it. The classic version relies on tomato juice alone, and oil mutes the sharpness.
7. Let the salad stand for 10 minutes more so the flavours mingle, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
8. Fold in the herbs just before serving and eat with warm flatbread for mopping up the juices, with lemon wedges alongside.

Allergen note: Contains gluten.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.