Shanklish

Shanklish is the aged, crumbled cheese of Syria and Lebanon — pungent, herb-coated balls of dried yoghurt cheese that are served as part of the breakfast spread or meze table. The classic way to eat it is broken over a plate and tossed with fresh tomato, onion, and olive oil: a no-cook, five-ingredient salad that is one of the most characterful and honest dishes in the Levantine larder.

Serves: 4 as a meze

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) shanklish cheese (available from Middle Eastern grocers; substitute with very well-drained labneh mixed with 1 tsp za'atar if unavailable)
• 2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 small white onion, very finely diced
• 3 tbsp (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Dried thyme or za'atar for finishing (optional)
• Warm flatbread to serve

Instructions

1. Crumble the shanklish cheese into a wide shallow serving bowl, breaking it into rough pieces — some fine crumbles, some larger chunks are ideal.
2. Scatter the diced tomato and onion over and around the cheese.
3. Drizzle the olive oil generously over everything.
4. Scatter the fresh parsley over the top. Add a pinch of dried thyme or za'atar if using.
5. Serve immediately at room temperature with warm flatbread for scooping. Do not toss the salad — the visual layering is part of the presentation.

Cook's Notes: Shanklish cheese ranges from mild (younger, softer) to intensely pungent (aged and firm). Both work here — choose according to preference. The combination of creamy, sharp cheese with sweet raw tomato and sharp onion is a perfect balance. This dish is assembled in under 5 minutes and requires no cooking at all.