Because I love making salad dressings with yogurt, it was a no-brainer for me to turn to yogurt to build this dressing’s base. And then a lightbulb went off in my head! It was date season. I remembered visiting a friend in the south of Iran who had set out a platter of glorious, caramel-sweet dates, along with a bowl of tahini and another little bowl of spicy chili powder for us to dip the dates first in the tahini, then in a touch of spice. The combination of the sweetness, nuttiness, and heat was exquisite. I knew right away that I wanted these three flavors for my dressing. But what is a salad without a crunch? So, we toasted sesame seeds, of course.

　　This recipe was excerpted from ‘Sofreh' by Nasim Alikhani with Theresa Gambacorta, one of the best cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Guajillo Chiles

　　$7 At Amazon

　　Chiles de Arbol

　　$7 At Amazon

　　Tahini

　　$12 At Amazon

　　Medjool Dates

　　$19 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　

For the chile paste

4 whole dried guajillo chiles

　　1 whole dried chile de árbol

　　

For the dressing and salad

1⁄4 cup tahini (preferably Al Wadi or similar quality), mixed well before removing from the container

　　2 cups Greek yogurt

　　2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

　　1 Tbsp. kosher salt

　　1⁄4 cup bottled lemon juice

　　3 Tbsp. chile paste

　　White sesame seeds

　　Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil

　　8 to 10 Medjool dates, from California or similar quality, seeded and halved

　　4 Little Gem red lettuce heads, halved, washed and dried

　　2 watermelon radishes, diced or thinly shaved on a mandoline

　　

Step 1

Prepare the chile paste: Toast the guajillo chiles and chile de árbol in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes per side, until fragrant.

　　

Step 2

Slice the chiles open, remove the seeds, add the chiles to a small pot with enough water to cover, and simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving a bit of the liquid.

　　

Step 3

Using a blender or food processor, purée the chilies with a small amount of the simmering liquid to achieve the consistency of a paste and set aside.

　　

Step 4

Prepare the dressing: Combine the tahini, yogurt, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and chile paste in a mixing bowl, and use a hand mixer to mix until well blended. Next, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water to the mixture, and continue mixing, adding more ice water if needed, until the mixture reaches the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning and set aside.

　　

Step 5

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry sauté pan over medium-low heat until dark golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Next, using the same pan, add oil and lightly sauté the dates until warmed through and soft. Keep warm.

　　

Step 6

To assemble the salad: Julienne some of the lettuce to use as a filling, using the remaining leaves for lettuce cups. Fill the cups with the warmed dates, diced radishes, julienned lettuce, and tahini dressing. Top with the toasted sesame seeds.

　　Cooks' Note

　　You will have leftover chile paste and tahini dressing for later use. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

　　From Sofreh by Nasim Alikhani with Theresa Gambacorta. Copyright © 2023 by Nasim Alikhani. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the full book from Amazon or Penguin Random House.