A classic Middle Eastern salad — perfect for picnics. I always thought Tabbouleh was basically a couscous salad with a bit of chopped parsley and veggies mixed in. But a true Tabbouleh is mostly parsley with some couscous stirred in. Quite the reverse! In fact, rather than couscous, a true Tabbouleh uses cracked Bulgur wheat, which gives more bite to the dish.
Claudia Roden is one of the most knowledgable cookbook writers around and this recipe is adapted from her version in the New Book of Middle Eastern Food.
PrintClassic Tabbouleh
Ingredients
Scale
- A bunch of Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
- A bunch of fresh Mint, chopped
- 2–4 oz of fine-ground bulgur (cracked wheat)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Juice of 2 lemons, or more to taste
- 3 oz olive oil
- 1 onion, or a bunch of spring onions, chopped
- Little Gem lettuce leaves to garnish
- 3 medium tomatoes, diced
Instructions
- Remove the stems from the parsley and mint, and chop well.
- Soak the bulgur in cold water for 10 minutes, drain and press to remove excess water. Put in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, part of the lemon juice and the olive oil. Let it absorb the dressing for about 1/2 hour or until it is tender.
- Just before serving, add the bulgur to the chopped herbs, but only enough to create a speckled effect. We want the base of the dish to be the chopped parsley, not the wheat. Add the spring onions, seasonings and more dressing to taste, and mix well. Add more lemon juice to create a distinctly sharp flavor.
- Serve surrounded with little gem lettuce leaves, and top with chopped tomatoes.
Notes
- Not included in Large Real Food Box: Salt & Pepper, Olive Oil.
Tanya
???? You do not soak Bulgar wheat in cold water! It will be as hard as gravel, not a very nice eat. The Bulgar Wheat does not need to be fine, the dish needs the texture of normal bulgar wheat. The tomatoes need to be scored, blistered in hot water to remove the skins and the seeds removed before dicing. Spring onions are unknown in this dish….it is always red onion. Never use a whole bunch of mint, the dish will taste like toothpaste. A third or less of mint, to the quantity of parsley. The herbs need to be rolled together gently and very delicately sliced to keep their flour and texture. This dish benefits from a small splash of white wine vinegar. If you like to make it more authentic then add some cumin and all spice and finish with a sprinkle of Za’atar.