Salad-e Zorrat (سالاد ذرت) — Persian Creamy Corn & Orange Salad

• 300 gFrozen corn kernels (thawed)
• 150 gCarrots (peeled, cut into 5 mm dice)
• 150 gFrozen green peas (thawed)
• 200 gRomaine lettuce (washed, dried well, chopped into 2 cm pieces)
• 2 mediumOranges (segmented; remove membranes; reserve 2 tbsp juice from the fruit)
• 120 gMayonnaise (full-fat for best texture)
• 80 gHeavy cream (cold)
• 12 gGranulated sugar (about 1 tbsp)
• 15 mlLemon juice (fresh (1 tbsp))
• 4 gFine salt (about 3/4 tsp, plus more to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the diced carrots and boil for 4 minutes, then add the peas and boil 2 minutes more. Add the corn for the final 1 minute to heat through. Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water for 30 seconds to stop cooking; drain very well.

2. 2

   While the vegetables drain, segment the oranges: cut off top and bottom, stand upright, and slice away peel and pith. Cut between membranes to release clean segments. Gently squeeze the remaining membranes to collect 30 ml (2 tbsp) orange juice; set aside. Pat the segments dry with paper towel to reduce watering down the salad.

3. 3

   Make the dressing in a large mixing bowl: whisk mayonnaise, cold heavy cream, sugar, lemon juice, reserved orange juice, and salt for 45–60 seconds until smooth and lightly fluffy. Taste and adjust: add 1–2 g more salt if needed, or 2–4 g more sugar if your oranges are very tart.

4. 4

   Add the drained corn, carrots, and peas to the bowl and fold with a spatula for 30–45 seconds until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the dressing cling and the flavors meld. This brief chilling improves texture and keeps the salad crisp when lettuce is added.

5. 5

   Just before serving, add the chopped romaine and fold gently for 20–30 seconds so the leaves stay crisp. Finally, add the orange segments and fold once or twice only to avoid breaking them. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 15 minutes if your room is warm; avoid longer once lettuce is mixed in.