Αν βάλεις λίγη ψίχα ψωμιού πάνω στη σαλάτα, μου αρέσει περισσότερο.

Βάλεις is the form used after αν here, and it refers to a single, complete action: if you put / if you add.

It comes from the verb βάζω (to put), but it uses the aorist subjunctive-type form:

• βάζεις = you put / you are putting (present)
• βάλεις = you put in the sense of if you happen to put / if you add

So αν βάλεις... means if you put/add..., focusing on one action, not an ongoing process.

Here αν means if.

So:

• Αν βάλεις... = If you put...

In many everyday contexts, English may sometimes translate this kind of idea almost like when, but grammatically αν is the normal word for a condition: if.

Because λίγη agrees with ψίχα, which is a feminine singular noun.

• λίγος = masculine
• λίγη = feminine
• λίγο = neuter

Here:

• ψίχα = feminine
• so: λίγη ψίχα

It means a little crumb / a little bit of crumb.

Literally, ψίχα ψωμιού means crumb of bread or the soft inside of bread.

Depending on context, it can suggest:

• a bit of bread crumb
• some bread crumbs
• a little bread torn into small pieces

So in this sentence, it means adding a small amount of bread crumb/bread pieces onto the salad.

Because Greek often uses the genitive to show a noun-of-noun relationship.

So:

• ψίχα = crumb
• ψωμιού = of bread

Together:

• ψίχα ψωμιού = crumb of bread

This is very common in Greek, just like:

• ποτήρι νερού = glass of water
• κομμάτι ψωμιού = piece of bread

Because the phrase is general and indefinite: bread crumb, not crumb of the bread.

So:

• ψίχα ψωμιού = crumb of bread / bread crumb
• ψίχα του ψωμιού = crumb of the bread

The version in your sentence sounds natural because it is talking about bread in a general sense, not a specific loaf already identified.

στη is the contracted form of σε τη(ν), meaning on/in/to the with a feminine noun.

Here:

• σαλάτα = salad
• στη σαλάτα = on the salad / in the salad

So:

• πάνω στη σαλάτα = on top of the salad

Because πάνω makes the idea more specific: on top of.

• στη σαλάτα could mean in the salad or sometimes just onto the salad, depending on context.
• πάνω στη σαλάτα clearly means on top of the salad.

It helps create the image of sprinkling or placing something over the salad.

Greek uses αρέσει differently from English like.

Literally, μου αρέσει means it is pleasing to me.

So:

• μου = to me
• αρέσει = pleases / is pleasing

That is why Greek says:

• Μου αρέσει η σαλάτα. = I like the salad.

not a structure like I please the salad.

In your sentence, the thing being liked is understood from context: the salad prepared that way, or the idea of adding bread crumb.

Περισσότερο means more.

So:

• μου αρέσει περισσότερο = I like it more

In natural English, you might often translate this as:

• I like it better
• I prefer it that way

So the sentence does not just mean simple liking; it means the speaker likes it more than without the bread crumb.

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible.

For example, you could also say:

• Μου αρέσει περισσότερο αν βάλεις λίγη ψίχα ψωμιού πάνω στη σαλάτα.

This means essentially the same thing.

The version with Αν βάλεις... first gives the condition first, which is very natural and often sounds slightly more focused on what needs to happen for the speaker to prefer it.