OCTOBER 2023

CHALDEAN KITCHEN
PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY
“Mommy’s Salad”
When is a salad not just a salad?
BY Z.Z. DAWOD
“
Mommy’s Salad,” as it was named by her
children, is not just a salad—it’s a meal.
On most dinner menus, salads tend
to play a supporting role, served in small portions at
the start of a meal. However, West Bloomfield resident
Aida Yousif has taken the concept of a salad to a
new level by elevating it to a full meal. Among family
and friends, “Mommy’s Salad” is a favorite and has
been at the top of the request list for many years.
Background
While she was raising her children, Aida’s goal was
to always incorporate salads into their diet, to get her
family accustomed to eating fresh fruits and vegetables
on a regular basis. On the day I visited her home,
Aida made her priorities categorically clear, exclaiming,
“Using fresh ingredients makes it healthy, and
completing it with a protein makes it fulfilling.”
As far back as she can remember, Aida has not
used pre-mixed dressings to complete her salads. She
never cared for what she calls that “fake taste” growing
up. Instead, she appreciated the timeless simplicity
of lemon, oil, and salt. A sprinkle of sumac was
added to give the dish a traditional homemade flavor.
Over the years, as her children were growing,
Aida would experiment with a variety of vegetables
and fruits, in search of the perfect combination. She
also discovered that the order in which ingredients
are added is a factor and, according to her, makes all
the difference.
History and Origin
Why do we call it salad? The origin of the word is
“sal,” which is Latin for “salt.” Provencal usage was
salada and the old French term became salade. By
the late Middle English period, the modern-day spelling
salad was adopted.
According to food historians, salads date back
to ancient Greek and Roman societies. In classical
times, a simple selection of raw vegetables came to
be dressed with oil, vinegar and, most importantly,
salt — the key ingredient which gave this dish its universal
name. As more ingredients were added, salad
recipes evolved based on availability of ingredients
and varying local climates.
Mommy’s Salad Preparation
To prepare “Mommy’s Salad,” Aida always starts with
a bed of washed and chopped romaine lettuce. Romaine
is one of the most common varieties of lettuce
used in Iraq and throughout the Middle East, where it
also happens to be the base ingredient in the Fattoush
— one of the most commonly-known Middle Eastern
salads. However, that’s pretty much where the similarities
end because, over the years, Aida has developed
her own unique blend of ingredients for her recipe.
English cucumbers are added next. Aida always
uses this variety because, she says, “They often have
little or no seeds, with a sweeter flavor. [They are]
also less watery.”
After the cucumbers come the vine tomatoes.
“These are definitely the best variety to use because
they have a longer harvest, which gives them that extra
time on the vine, making them extra sweet and
juicy,” she declares.
The next three vegetables are red cabbage, celery,
and radish. “These have been a favorite addition
thanks to their extra crunchy texture, so the salad is
not soggy,” she continues. Each ingredient is added
42 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2023