Our most popular salads in the deli are the aubergine and tahini salads. We do different variations and it's always the first to sell.
My inspiration mostly comes from the home, family meals and celebrations that form part of the strong Jewish and Middle Eastern culture I was raised in. I grew up with family cooking around me ever since I can remember.
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The hallmarks of a good salad are good quality and fresh ingredients; freshly made dressings; the ratio of ingredients; and a sharp knife for cutting and preparing the vegetables from scratch.
Great salads use seasonal ingredients.
My five favourite veg at the moment are aubergines, green beans, baby marrows, radish and beetroot.
My quick go-to homemade dressing is made with tahini. Whisk together till smooth 125ml (½ cup) tahini paste, the juice of 1 lemon, 125ml (½ cup) water, 2.5ml (½ tsp) crushed garlic and a pinch of salt.
The recipes in my cookbook, Feast with Sababa: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Food , are mostly simple. I don't use too many ingredients, it's about the combination of ingredients. Also our methods of cooking are straightforward.
The salad that always excites my palate is mushroom and tahini with peas.
Following the excesses of the festive season, I'd recommend the following three recipes from my book - broccoli and baby marrow soup; kale and mixed bean salad, and quinoa and grilled vegetable salad.
'Feast with Sababa: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Food ' by Tal Smith, Jacana, R310
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