Xalach dia is an essential part of the Vietnamese table, especially in the south, a wonderful tradition that brings freshness and variety to every meal. The salad vegetables are used to wrap, to accompany, to enhance, or to alter the other dishes, or they are eaten simply on their own. The salad platter gives each person a chance to vary tastes and textures, mouthful by mouthful, as the various herbs and salad vegetables complement the cooked foods with fresh flavors. What’s more, the salad platter brings color and beauty to the table.

Halfway around the world, in Iran, Armenia, and the Eastern Mediterranean, there’s a very similar salad plate tradition, and its role in the meal is almost identical. In all cases, it makes each person a lively participant in how the meal comes together.

If the list of options looks daunting, just begin by putting out a bowl of salad greens, without dressing, and a bowl of fresh herbs, coriander sprigs, for example, or Asian basil leaves. Encourage your guests to use the greens and herbs as a freshening mouthful between bites of cooked food, as well as to wrap combinations of different foods.