Tomato and onion salad: A nostalgic taste for modern health

Our ancestors didn't need fancy ingredients to create delicious dishes. Tomatoes, preferably straight from the vine, the taste-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 an extremely simple yet delicious dish our grandparents enjoyed. It perfectly fits the current trends of seasonal and local eating.

Tomatoes and onions are a duo well-known in the cuisine of many cultures. A salad made from these ingredients is not only tasty but also healthy and rich in vitamins and minerals. This is primarily due to 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, important for cell and nervous system health. This ingredient absolutely should not be modified. However, the other two... the situation is different here.

We can't imagine Canadian cuisine without sour cream. We use it for 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 goes great with tomatoes, adding creaminess, but it also has a lot of calories and is fatty, so sometimes we can replace it. This option is especially recommended for those on a calorie-restricted diet. Tomato and onion salad with yogurt or skyr tastes just as good. Do you like 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 and peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum. Even if we don't have such ailments, often, just after eating fresh onion, we have 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 and pepper to taste
• 18% sour cream to taste (yogurt or skyr optional)

Instructions:

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