Ajlouk Qura'a (Mashed-Zucchini Salad

In this Tunisian salad (pronounced aj-LUKE coo-rah-AH), served as an appetizer with bread, the rich flavoring lifts the blandness of zucchini. Harissa, a spicy North African sauce made with chile peppers and garlic, is available in specialty markets. You can use a good pinch of ground chile pepper instead. (Begin with a small dash--you can always add more.)

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds zucchini, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon harissa
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Place zucchini in a large saucepan; cover with water to 1 inch above zucchini. Bring to a boil, and cook 20 minutes or until zucchini is very tender. Drain. While zucchini is still in colander, coarsely mash zucchini with a fork; drain.

Combine juice and next 6 ingredients (juice through garlic) in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add zucchini; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with pita bread.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

39 (65% from fat)

Fat:

2.8g (sat 1g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.2g)

Protein:

1.6g

Carbohydrate:

2.7g

Fiber:

1g

Cholesterol:

4mg

Iron:

0.4mg

Sodium:

201mg

Calcium:

37mg