Salad

Refreshing and easy to make, mizeria is one of the most famous Polish salads. It consists of thinly sliced cucumbers that are seasoned with salt and pepper, then mixed with creamy sour cream or yogurt. The essential part of mizeria is a handful of freshly chopped dill, one of the favorite herbs used in Polish cuisine. Optional ingredients might include a squeeze of lemon juice, onions, parsley, mint, and some even suggest a sprinkle of sugar. It is usually consumed during summer, but it can occasionally be prepared even when the cucumbers are not in season. Mizeria is a perfect accompaniment to hearty and nourishing dishes such as meat cutlets, or any rice or potato-based dishes. The name of the dish translates to misery, and although the origins of the name are not familiar, it is believed that the name was given as a joke, and somehow it stuck with this crunchy and creamy Polish salad.

Mizeria

Spain

Mojete huertano is a traditional salad that's commonly prepared in Murcia, Andalusia, and La Mancha. The salad is usually made with a combination of tomatoes, tuna, black olives, hard-boiled eggs, red or white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and sugar. The tomatoes are roasted, peeled, coarsely chopped, and placed in a wide serving bowl. They're dressed with olive oil and vinegar, and seasoned with salt and sugar. The salad is mixed well and the olives, hard-boiled eggs, and chunks of tuna are arranged on top. There are some regional variations, so anchovy fillets or roasted strips of bell peppers can also be added to the salad. In La Mancha, it's common to add a teaspoon of cumin to the dressing. Mojete huertano is typically served in soup bowls with spoons and it's recommended to accompany the salad with fresh country bread on the side.

Mojete huertano

Mojete manchego is a traditional salad originating from La Mancha. It's made with a combination of bell peppers, garlic, small onions, olive oil, black olives, cumin, and lemon juice. The peppers, garlic, and onions are roasted, peeled, chopped, and the garlic is then blended with the lemon juice, salt, olive oil, and cumin in order to create the dressing. This dressing is then poured over the onions and peppers, with added olive on top. The salad should be left to sit for a while so that the flavors become well mixed. In the past, the peasants from the region prepared this salad in the fields over a fire. It's recommended to serve it with crusty bread for soaking up the juices.

Mojete manchego

Thailand

Mu nam tok is a traditional grilled pork salad originating from the northeastern parts of the country. The salad is usually made with a combination of glutinous rice, pork, oil, shallots, mint, scallions, coriander, cabbage, and extra herbs. The pork is marinated in a mixture of sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper before it's grilled and thinly sliced. The ingredients are tossed together, and the salad is then dressed with a combination of fish sauce, sugar, chili flakes, and lime juice.

Mu nam tok

Vietnam

Nộm is a traditional salad. It's made with a combination of fresh, grated vegetables such as cabbage and turnip, along with papaya, green mango, banana flowers, cucumber slices, and sometimes even shredded boiled pork. Other common ingredients include hot chili peppers, roasted ground nuts, and grated carrots to make the salad more visually attractive and colorful. Nộm is the name in the North, while in Southern Vietnam, the salad is known as gỏi. The salads are usually dressed with nước chấm, and they're often served with prawn crackers on the side.

Nộm

Nộm hoa chuối is a traditional salad originating from Vietnam. It's often made with a combination of banana blossoms, bean sprouts, white vinegar, sesame seeds, green papaya, carrots, coriander, sugar, salt, dried shrimp, roasted peanuts, and lime juice. The salad is prepared in many versions throughout the country, so there's no fixed recipe, but pork or chicken are often added to the mix as well. The ingredients are simply mixed together, tossed, and dressed, and the salad is then served on a platter or a thick banana leaf. It can also be additionally garnished with fried shallots, sliced chili peppers, and even more roasted peanuts on top, if desired.

Nộm hoa chuối

Ohitashi is a traditional dish and a technique in which vegetables (and sometimes seafood) are boiled and immersed in a dashi-based sauce. Nowadays, the dish is usually prepared with spinach that's boiled, topped with dried bonito flakes (katsuoboshi), and dressed with soy sauce. The word ohitashi is derived from hitashi, meaning to immerse or to dunk. Once prepared, ohitashi spinach salad is usually served as a side dish with steamed rice, miso soup, tonkatsu, ot mapo tofu. If spinach is unavailable, ohitashi can also be prepared with eggplant, okra, and asparagus.

Ohitashi

Australia

Oka i'a is a Samoan dish consisting of raw fish, usually fresh tuna that is marinated in lemon juice and coconut cream, then served in chunks with onions. The combination of these ingredients makes for an extremely healthy, flavorful, and unique fish salad. There are numerous variations on the dish, so some people like to add chopped chili peppers, coriander, parsley, and even lemon slices into the salad.

Oka i'a

Ovcharska salata is a simple variation of the famous Shopska salata. Essentially, it is Shopska salata (cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cheese) with the addition of mushrooms, eggs, and ham. The salad is typically tossed with vegetable oil, left to rest for a few minutes, and it is then ready for consumption. It is especially popular in summer due to its refreshing flavors and the usage of seasonal vegetables.

Ovcharska salata

Pa muchim or pajeori is a traditional salad originating from South Korea. Although every family in Korea has their own recipe, the salad is usually made with a combination of scallions, red chili flakes, salt, sugar, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. The scallions are sliced lengthwise into strips, soaked in cold water in order to get crunchy, drained, and mixed with the sesame oil, red chili flakes, vinegar, sugar, and salt. The ingredients are tossed and the salad is served chilled or at room temperature. Pa muchim is often served with unseasoned grilled meat dishes such as samgyupsal gui.

Pa muchim

Italy

Panzanella is an Italian salad made from pieces of stale, moistened bread, with the addition of tomatoes, onions, or basil, and a dressing of vinegar and olive oil. The salad is a specialty of Tuscany, where it is usually served in the summer, making use of the fresh summer vegetables that are in season. Panzanella can sometimes include other additional ingredients such as cucumbers, olives, and cheese. It is believed that panzanella was invented out of necessity, as a means to utilize unwanted ingredients, such as stale bread. The salad was first described in the 1500s, in a poem by a famous artist and poet named Bronzino. The name of the dish comes from two words: pane, meaning bread, and zanella, meaning soup bowl. However, some people tend to disagree and claim that it is derived from the word panzana, meaning food. Regardless of the origin of its name, panzanella remains a classic Tuscan summer treat filled with fresh, flavorful ingredients.

Panzanella

Patlıcan salatası is a Turkish salad made with roasted eggplants as the main ingredient. It will taste slightly different in every restaurant, depending on the chef&rsquo;s personal preferences. Besides roasted eggplants, the salad is usually made with red peppers, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. All ingredients are then combined, and although the final result typically doesn&rsquo;t look especially appetizing, it makes up for it with delicious flavors. It is recommended to serve patlıcan salatası as an accompaniment to barbecued meat.

Patlıcan salatası

Indonesia

Indonesian pecel may refer to a fragrant peanut sauce or a combination of the sauce and various vegetables, when it is commonly referred to as a salad. The base of the sauce is prepared with roasted peanuts and spices that typically include chili peppers, palm sugar, garlic, tamarind juice, shrimp paste, kaffir lime leaves, salt, and kencur, an aromatic ginger variety. Usually associated with Java, the sauce is characterized by its distinctive combination of sweet and spicy flavors. When served with rice, the dish goes under the name nasi pecel.

Pecel

This hot and sour shrimp salad consists of blanched shrimps combined with chopped lemongrass stalks, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, and mint leaves, all covered with a chili-lime dressing. The spicy shrimp salad is typically placed atop fresh lettuce leaves, then garnished with fresh mint sprigs. There are many variations of this dish, some of which call for other types of seafood or fish instead of shrimps, or even a mix of several seafood types for a more interesting salad.

Phla kung

Guatemala

Piloyada antigue&ntilde;a is a Guatemalan salad made with piloye beans as the key ingredient. The beans are cooked and combined with other ingredients: onions, chorizo, pork, butifarra sausage, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, slices of hard-boiled eggs, cilantro, and fresh cheese. Some versions of this hearty salad can also contain chicken. The dish is usually prepared on Sundays and it's typically served cold.

Piloyada antigueña

Pipirrana is a typical Spanish salad originating from Andalusia. It has numerous variations because each province has a different method of preparation and different ingredients. However, one of the more traditional versions is made with cucumbers, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. The refreshing summer salad is usually dressed with olive oil, and vinegar, and slices of bread are often used as an accompaniment that is soaked in it, while tuna and olives are often added in order to elevate the flavors. It is believed that pipirrana was invented by Spanish field workers of Andalusia, Murcia, and La Mancha, who would prepare it with fresh vegetables, so it is safe to assume that tuna and olives were not originally used in the salad, except on festive occasions.

Pipirrana

United States

Pittsburgh salad is a twist on a traditional salad, originating from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The salad consists of a bed of lettuce that's topped with tomatoes or other vegetables, a piece of beef steak or grilled chicken, and crispy french fries. The salad is traditionally sprinkled with shredded cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella and drizzled with dressing (usually Ranch) before serving. It's recommended to serve the dressing on the side, and it's then used as a dip. The potatoes can be regular french fries, waffle fries, wedges, shoestring fries, or curly fries. This salad is highly customizable, so feel free to add any ingredients to your liking.

Pittsburgh Salad

Piyaz is a traditional salad. In most of the country, it's a general term for a dish of dried beans, parsley, onions, and sumac. In Antalya, however, piyaz also contains a rich and smooth sauce consisting of tahini, lemon juice, and vinegar. The beans are topped with the sauce, and the dish is usually dressed with chopped tomatoes, sliced onions, hard-boiled eggs, olive oil, and parsley. Piyaz is often eaten as an accompaniment to k&ouml;fte and similar grilled meats, but it can also be included in a meze selection.

Piyaz

Croatia

Poparena salata is a traditional salad originating from the Međimurje region. It's made with a combination of lettuce, bacon, eggs, vinegar, and salt. The lettuce is washed and seasoned with salt. The bacon is heated in a pan, mixed with vinegar, and the combination is then mixed with the lettuce. The salad is traditionally topped with scrambled eggs. This light and simple dish is typically served for dinner in Međimurje.

Poparena salata

Popurena salata is a humble Croatian dish that's made with a combination of vinegar, water, salt, sugar, pork fat, and lettuce leaves. The water and vinegar are poured into a pot with the addition of salt and sugar. Once heated, pork fat is added to the pot, and when it melts, the lettuce leaves are added to the combination and mixed thoroughly. Popurena salata is always served warm, and it's especially good when served as an accompaniment to another traditional dish called popara.