Tabouli is a popular dish of Middle Eastern origin. Its main ingredients are parsley and bulgur (a form of boiled and then dried wheat). You can buy a pack in supermarkets, specialty food stores, and some markets. Great with hummus, with pita sandwiches and served as a sauce, the Tabouli is easy to make and will ensure there is enough food for all diners.
Ingrediants
- 1/4 cup of bulgur wheat
- 4 cups parsley (about 3 - 4 parsley sprigs), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mint, finely chopped
- 6 fresh onions, finely sliced (also known as scallions in North American cuisine)
- 3/4 - 1 cup of filtered lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of good quality olive oil
- Garlic, crushed (optional)
- 4 tomatoes, ripe but not too ripe, cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon of salt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
Steps
Step 1. Wash the parsley under running water to remove dirt etc
Rinse the bulgur to remove any foreign material. Shake the parsley to remove excess water.
Step 2. Soak the bulgur for 20 - 25 minutes in a large bowl
The soaking time will depend on the size of the beans used. Another method of making bulgur is to add a cup of boiling water to a package of bulgur and store-bought seasonings, and then refrigerate it for at least an hour.
Step 3. Drain the water and squeeze the bulgur into a paper towel to remove excess water
Otherwise, you can use a very fine sieve to remove the water. This will not be necessary using the hot water method.
Step 4. Mix the bulgur with the parsley, mint and onion in a large bowl
Step 5. Add lemon juice and salt to taste
It will be VERY important to add these ingredients carefully so that the Tabouli is not too salty or with too much lemon juice.
Step 6. The original recipe left to us omits the passage regarding olive oil; it is VERY important to add the olive oil a little at a time, just enough; probably, adding the amount of oil reported among the ingredients will make the dish too oily for Western taste
Step 7. Now add the garlic and mix everything
Step 8. Add the tomatoes by shaking the bowl slightly to mix them into the salad, so as not to crush them
Step 9. Serve with pita bread or whole romaine lettuce leaves
Advice
Excellent in dipping sauces, such as hummus or babaganush
(Eggplant Caviar).
- Easy to carry as lunch for work or school.
- Saute the garlic beforehand if you intend to keep your tabouli, otherwise it will get stronger and stronger in flavor until it covers all the others.
- Add it to a falafel dish or falafel sandwich.
