One chef’s guide for a great salad

The easiest and most economic way to eat well is good, old DIY cooking. But when cravings strike for something other than stir-fried anything, making far from home comfort food can be far from cheap.

Do not despair - culinary relief actually lies in the aisles of your local Chinese grocer we are told. Local in the know chefs, who cook non-local food, dish out how to make overseas favorites using readily available ingredients that will satisfy both the stomach and the savings account.

Here we speak to one specific chef about one great failsafe recipe, which will be perfect for the summer.

Ali Awada, chef and operator at Lebanese Cedar's Café, tells the Global Times how to make fattoush, a light, tangy and easy-to-make vegetable salad perfect for spring weather. Awada believes a fattoush salad is essential for a proper meze, a spread of light and appetizing dishes common in Middle Eastern cooking, an introduction he patiently runs through daily for Beijingers getting their first taste of Lebanese food. "Almost everyone stares at the menu for a couple of minutes before asking me what I recommend," said Awada. "And this is one of the dishes I start them on."

Arriving in Beijing two years ago via Beirut, Awada apprenticed in his uncle's restaurant, Alameen in Sanlitun, where he learned all the ins and outs of Middle Eastern cuisine. "I was the only foreigner running a full kitchen of local chefs," said Awada, 25, who was more comfortable listing the ingredients for fattoush in Chinese than English. "But ever since I've been working in Sanlitun, my English has become really good," he smiled.

Seven months ago, the family decided to open Cedar's, a smaller café specializing in quick Middle Eastern food such as shawarma sandwiches, the meat filled wrap that much like chuanr, makes for great post clubbing/drinking food.

Although Awada has a background in marketing, making the switch to being a chef has not been too tough socially as he is finding chefs are never short of friends. "There are only around 20 Lebanese in Beijing and they all collect here," explains Awada. "So when the Lebanese Embassy is having some kind of event, they call me and say, 'tell everyone to come over," he laughed.

Ali's fattoush salad (serves 2)

Ingredients

1 tomato

1 cucumber

1 green pepper

½ red pepper

½ yellow pepper

4 leaves of lettuce

1 cup pita bread croutons

½ lemon

Olive oil

Salt to taste

How to prepare

Awada's original recipe calls for Lebanese croutons, or pita bread torn into crisp size pieces and pan-fried in vegetable oil. However, as pita bread simply does not exist in your neighborhood Chinese supermarket, try wonton skins fried to a golden-brown instead. For a heartier, crunchier texture, double layer the wontons before frying.

After setting croutons on a paper towel to cool, chop the tomato, cucumber, peppers and lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Add vegetables in a mixing bowl, then squeeze in lemon juice, sprinkle salt and drizzle about two tablespoons of olive oil on top. Though not "Chinese," olive oil is available in most medium-sized supermarkets. Awada explains that olive oil is the one essential ingredient that Lebanese cuisine cannot do without.

Toss the mixture until the oil is distributed evenly and serve in a bowl with pita, Italian or French bread on the side.

For a local twist, wrap in flaky Chinese pancakes (jinsibing) found in your supermarket's freshly baked goods section.