Raw Fish on Vegetable Salad, Fried Pita and Labane
Chef Omer Miller, "Israeli Cooking"

Coarsely chopped vegetables on a bed of labane, paired with fried pita chunks (the kind that were once sold at falafel stands) and topped with slices of sashimi-grade raw fish. Proper Israeli chutzpa.
 

• 200 g (7 oz) fillet of fresh firm-fleshed saltwater fish (tuna, amberjack, yellow tail)
• juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• For pita croutons:
• 2 pitas halved into 4 disks
• oil for deep frying (or olive oil for brushing)
• 1/2 teaspoon za'atar spice mix
• For labane mix:
• 4 tablespoons goat milk yogurt
• 4 tablespoons labane (yogurt cheese)
• For Salad:
• 4 cucumbers, sliced
• 20 cherry tomatoes (red and yellow), halved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 15 oregano leaves
• 15 mint leaves
• To serve:
• 1/2 teaspoon za'atar spice mix
• 1 teaspoon summac
  
   

1. Make pita croutons: heat oil for deep frying and fry pitas until crisp and golden. Drain on paper toweling and sprinkle with za'atar. Or, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with za'atar and bake in a hot oven until crispy. Set aside.
2. Spread labane and yogurt and spread on serving plates (like you would hummus).
3. Prepare the salad: combine the vegetables in a salad bowl, season with olive oil and lemon juice and arrange on top of the labane. Garnish with herbs.
4. To Serve: Thinly slice the fish and arrange on top of the salad. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Break pita into chunks and arrange on the salad. Sprinkle on sumac and za'atar and serve immediately.