The Hirshon Bulgarian “Snow White Salad” – тракийска

Trakiiska Image Used Under Creative Commons License

Bulgaria has an ancient and proud cuisine, dating back to the Thracian empire many thousands of years ago. The countryside is rich in beehive-shaped tombs called “tholoi” that attest to the uncounted millennia of settlement.

Bulgaria has an exceptionally healthful cuisine, which put the country’s famous dairy products, nuts, fresh vegetables, herbs and fermented pickles to exceptional use.

This recipe is perhaps the most healthful you can imagine in that it uses probiotic-laden yogurt, walnuts, dill, garlic and fermented pickles – all proven superfoods and all delicious!

Trakiiska salad is enjoyed by Bulgarians in the warm summer cities along the Black Sea coast.

Sometimes called «Snow White Salad», snežanka (снежанка, snejanka ), also known as trakiiska (тракийска, or Thracian salad), is a mixture of creamy yoghurt and grated cucumbers, sometimes with garlic; others call it koprivnica salata (Копривница салата) after assuring you that the yoghurt is made from buffalo milk

Trakiiska salad uses pickles instead of the grated cucumber used in Snejanka and is therefore more sour and refreshing in taste. Bulgarians typically prepare it thick and creamy by using yogurt that was strained from its water for 5-6 hours in a piece of cheesecloth.

This recipe is ridiculously easy to make and will be a guaranteed hit at your next party or by your family as a delicious and healthful treat!

Partake of this ancient cuisine, my Citizens – and ENJOY! 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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3 garlic cloves, 1 minced, 2 crushed
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 cup pickles that have been diced into small cubes and left to drain for 2 hours – ideally barrel fermented
2 cups labneh (or full-fat natural yogurt that has been strained through cheesecloth for 4-5 hours so it thickens)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt
black pepper
2 tbsp walnuts, finely chopped

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Chop the dill and mix with the crushed / minced garlic cloves in a bowl.

Add the pickles in the bowl.

Add the strained yogurt or labneh and mix in the olive oil. Then add the vinegar and stir.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste, stir.

Use raw walnuts or for a different taste try roasting them first. Chop them finely and add to the yogurt mix. Stir well and serve or serve cold after 2 hours in the fridge to allow the flavors to blend.

Serve with a few drops of olive oil on top and a touch of fresh paprika (optional)

Serve this as an accompaniment to a spicy stew, or simply use it as a dip for vegetables.