Tabouli

This is a Mediterranean salad rich in mint and parsley. Another important ingredient is bulgur wheat. While you can get coarse, fine, and extra fine bulgur wheat, it is partially cooked and then dried so you don’t have to cook it as much as other grains. The small the grain the less time needed to cook. Another key aspect of Tabouli is chopping all the ingredients in very small pieces.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra fine bulgur wheat
• 4 Tomatoes (Roma) – very finely chopped
• 1 Cucumber – peeled, deseeded, and very finely chopped
• 2 bunches Parsley – most of stems removed and very finely chopped
• 12–15 fresh mint leaves – stems removed and very finely chopped
• 4 whole green onions – very finely chopped
• 4 TBL fresh lime juice – can use lemon juice
• 4 TBL extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Process

1. Mise en Place – measure and prepare all your ingredients in advance.
2. Cook the bulgur wheat: For el dente, soak wheat in 1 cup boiling water. For a softer grain, combine 1 cups of water and 1 cup of dry bulgur in a pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes. Drain excess liquid and fluff grains with a fork. Set aside.
3. Juice the lime (or lemon).
4. Very finely chop remaining ingredients. Place chopped tomatoes and cucumbers in a colander to drain excess juice. You can lightly salt the cucumbers to aid in removing juice.
5. Place the chopped ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Add the bulgur and season to taste with salt.
6. Add lime juice and olive oil and mix again.
7. Cover tabouli and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (over night preferable).
8. Serve as a side with a bread or lettuce leaf boat. Tabouli will last several days in the frig and get better each day.