Tabbouleh Salad
Tabbouleh is a delightful Mediterranean lemony-herb salad of the eastern Mediterranean region. Made from lots of finely chopped parsley, mint, spring onions, tomato, bulgur, and cucumber and tossed with lemon juice and olive oil it is packed with good health. Light, refreshing, and intensely flavorful it is one of my most beloved dishes. It`s serves as a healthy side-dish for grilled meats, chicken or fish or you can turn it into a main meal by adding any of a variety of foods. I make a batch on weekends and store it in my fridge, ready to use during the week.
Ingredients
Salad
- 180 g bulgur wheat
- 500 ml boiling water
- 5 ml ground cumin optional
- 3 stems spring onions finely sliced
- 60 g cup parsley leaves finely chopped
- 15 g mint finely chopped
- 3 medium sized tomatoes diced
- ½ cucumber peeled and cubed
Dressing
- 80 ml fresh lemon juice
- 100 ml olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the bulgur wheat in a bowl. Sprinkle with cumin and pour the water over. Cover and leave to soak for 30-45 min.
- Line a colander with a clean dish towel. Tip the soaked bulgur wheat into the centre, let it drain, then gather up the sides of the dish towel and squeeze out any remaining water. Tip bulgur wheat into a large bowl.
- Add the spring onions, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and cucumber. Mix well, then pour over the dressing. Season to taste with salt and toss gently to combine all the ingredients.
Notes
CHEF`S TIPS
- I don`t recommend using a food processor to chop the herbs as they may become mushy and cause your salad to lose its crunchy texture.
- Use a colander to drain the juices from the diced tomato and cucumber. You don`t want a watery salad.
- Don`t add cucumber or tomato if you are not serving your salad right away. Refrigerate your bulgur, onion, and herb mixture in an airtight container. Dice and add tomato and cucumber just before serving.
HEALTH TIPS
- Choose any of the following toppings to create a protein packed meal or snack: grilled chicken breast, smoked salmon/trout, fresh or canned tuna, lentils or any cooked beans, cold slices of beef steak or lamb, cubed feta cheese or cottage cheese, or a boiled/ poached egg.
