Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a Lebanese herb salad that I first got turned on to by our friends over at Baba Gannouj, Campbell River’s Syrian/Lebanese restaurant. It’s since become my absolute favourite salad!

I make my own tabbouleh a lot during the spring/summer when my garden is overflowing with parsley and mint and Port Alberni mini cucumbers become widely available. Herbs and crisp, acidic veggies make for a beautiful, slightly bitter mix that’s used to cleanse the palate when eating red meats with garlic sauce (as Levantines do) or with anything from the BBQ.

All that fresh herb and veg is traditionally garnished with just a sprinkling of bulgur (re-hydrated, cracked durum wheat) which gives it another dimension of texture as well as a fiber boost. Bulgur can be found in most whole food stores, sometimes labeled as “Cracked Durum” or just “Cracked Wheat”… Although not all cracked wheat is bulgur… It’s as confusing as it is delicious.

This is a pretty traditional, bare-bones recipe that leaves lots of room for improvisation. I’ve used many different types of mint to augment the flavour and even snuck in some chopped lovage that my friend Jeanette gifted to me a while back. Go nuts!

Tabbouleh (Serves 2-4)

Ingredients

• 4 Tbls. Bulgur (38g)
• 2 Tbls. Olive Oil (30ml)
• Juice from 1 Lemon (approx. 30ml)
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Cups Flat Leaf Parsley (25g, finely chopped)
• 1 ½ Cups Mint (17g, finely chopped)
• 2 Small Cucumbers (130g, finely diced)
• 2 Medium-Sized Roma Tomatoes (200g, finely diced)
• 1 Whole Green Onion (36g, chopped)

Method

1. Soak the bulgur in 1 cup of warm water until it’s soft and slightly chewy (about half an hour). Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings into a light little dressing and toss with the bulgur. Mix in the fresh herbs, cukes, tomatoes and onions. Get your hands in there and evenly distribute those herbs! No-one wants one mouthful of parsley, and the next one all mint. Serve right away.

(Note: you can add more olive oil to the dressing if you think the salad needs it, or lightly drizzle it overtop just before serving it to your mightily impressed guests.)

Music To Cook This To:

Ahmad Jamal – Saturday Morning

(Pick it up Here @ Amazon)