Sumac onion salad (Sumaklı soğan)

1. Peel the red onions, halve them and slice into very thin half-moons.

2. Salt them in a bowl and rub firmly by hand for 1 minute to soften them and tame their bite.

3. If they're very strong, rinse in cold water and drain well.

4. Add the sumac and toss until the onion turns a deep red.

5. Stir in the roughly chopped parsley and the olive oil.

6. Serve with kebabs, köfte, lahmacun and grilled meats.

Tip: It's on the table in every Turkish grill house. Sumac is a tart, lemony spice – add more if you like, and a few pomegranate seeds suit it too.