Gurji is the name of the local Nigerien cucumber, and because it is full of taste and texture, I vastly prefer it to any imported type. It may not grow to become a straight line but varies greatly in shape and size, which I don’t mind a bit. Nigerien gurji reminds me of what cucumbers in Europe must have tasted like generations ago, before man got so involved with monetary growth and discarded quality of taste to quantity and availability. One of the things I love about Niger is actually the fact that all fruits and vegetables come in seasons, because the time spent without makes you appreciate them so much more. There is a guava season, followed by an orange season, followed by a mango season etc, and every time a fruit or vegetable reemerges at the market, it is Christmas season.
Back to the gurjis and today’s blog title, I recently managed to grow my own mint on the veranda, and you all know how nuts I am about that. Way back in Tunisia, some twenty years ago, my mother had lines of fresh mint growing in the garden, which she used for all sorts of things. One of my favourite recipes was her Mediterranean cucumber sallad (which included fresh lemon and mint) and so when the greengrocer brought me new gurjis the other day, I decided to do my very own Mediterranean-inspired gurji sallad.
The Official Mediterranean Gurji Sallad Recipe
Mix the following ingredients:
2-3 chopped gurjis/cucumbers
a handful of fresh mint leaves
the juice of 2 lemons
Leave in the fridge for a few hours before serving, so that the lemon tastes of the mint and the gurji/cucumbers taste of both. Trust me, in a warm country, a salad doesn’t get much better!
4 users commented in " A Mediterranean-inspired gurji sallad "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIt s too bad than Nigerien overlook on that Gurci
I am nigerien but never heard that Gurci
If I remember correctly, yogurt is a rare treat for you, but it would be delicious in your salad as well, it’s a bit more on the Persian side of the recipe, but it’s lovely too!
Inspired by your gurji salad, I made one like it from armenian cucumbers growing in my garden, mint that grows wild on our property, lemon juice, and sliced sweet onions. Mmm-mm good and refreshing for these hot summer days in California.
@Niger: Gurji is the Hausa name - maybe the Tahoua reason either doesn’t grow gurji, or, they have another name for it.
@Janet: You’re right, yogurt is a treat (not only is it “hard work!” lol, but the price for milk powder is sky rocketing at this point) but you’re addition sounds great! Like tsatsiki without mint… Must try!
@Pat: Isn’t it great with cucumbers that are full of taste?? Rare treat in Sweden these days!
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