A smart and seductive salad. Marinating the red onion for an hour or so in the smashed pomegranate and lime juice takes away its punch, leaving behind fresh, bittersweet, and peppery flavors. Perfect with a dense, buttery rice or a smoky lamb kebab, if you’re that way inclined.
Serves 4 to 6 as a side
seeds of ½ a pomegranate (see here for how to seed)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 tablespoons canola oil
a pinch of ground red chile
½ a red onion, very thinly sliced
¾ pound daikon radish
½ pound red radishes
First make the dressing. Put the pomegranate seeds into a large bowl and crush them with your (scrupulously clean) hands until they become very juicy, then add the lime juice, sugar, salt, oil, and ground red chile. Mix and taste, adjusting it as you wish (you might need a little extra sugar if your pomegranate is sour). Add the red onion and leave to marinate for an hour.
Peel the daikon with a vegetable peeler and slice as thinly as you can. Wash the red radishes, trim them, and slice thinly.
Add the radish and daikon slices to the dressing, mix well, then place on a shallow dish or rimmed platter.
