Tomato and onion salad: A timeless favourite for hot days revisited

Our ancestors didn't need fancy ingredients to create delicious dishes. They used tomatoes, preferably fresh from the vine, the flavour-enhancing onion, and sour cream. This was how the best salad for hot days was made. Do you still remember that taste?

Tomato and onion salad with sour cream is a delightful dish. Our grandparents enjoyed it, and it perfectly aligns with the current seasonal and local eating trends.

Tomatoes and onions are a duo well-known in the cuisine of many cultures. A salad made from these ingredients is delicious, healthy, and rich in vitamins and minerals. Its benefits are primarily derived from tomatoes. They are low in calories and rich in vitamin C, which supports the immune system and protects cells from damage. Vitamin K is essential for bone health and blood clotting. Tomatoes also provide potassium, which regulates blood pressure and supports heart health and folates, which are crucial for cell and nervous system health. This ingredient should not be altered. However, for the other two, the situation is different here.

We can't imagine cuisine without sour cream. We use it in many dishes and often think that traditional dishes without it never work out. We add it to sauces, soups, and salads. So, it's no surprise that sour cream was chosen when composing a traditional tomato salad. This addition pairs wonderfully with tomatoes, adding creaminess, but it is also high in calories and fat, so sometimes we can substitute it. This option is particularly recommended for those on a calorie-restricted diet. Tomato and onion salad with yoghurt or skyr tastes just as good. Do you enjoy Mediterranean cuisine? You can also use olive oil.

An ingredient that may be controversial is raw onion. It is hard to digest and not suitable for everyone. Raw and fried onions are not recommended for people who should follow a light and easy-to-digest diet. It can exacerbate symptoms of hyperacidity, peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum. Even if we don't have such ailments, often, just after eating fresh onion, we experience stomach pains and don't feel well. However, preparing it a little differently is enough to make it much milder. Of course, I mean blanching. You need to slice the onion into thin feathers and pour boiling water over it for a few minutes. Then, you should drain the onion and rinse it with cold water.

Ingredients:

• 3 tomatoes,
• 1 onion,
• salt, pepper to taste,
• 18% sour cream to taste (yoghurt or skyr optional).

Instructions:

1. Slice the onion into thin feathers and the tomatoes into cubes or thicker quarters.
2. Combine both vegetables in a bowl. Add salt and pepper, then mix with sour cream.
3. You can sprinkle chopped chives on top.