Tabouleh

In the realm of salads, I think it is safe to say that Tabouleh (also spelled tabouleh or tabouli) is like no other. A Middle Eastern dish made of bulgur wheat, finely chopped herbs, and spices. Tabouleh is often served as an appetizer, a salad, or part of a mezze, the Middle Eastern equivalent of tapas.

Tabouleh is thought to have originated as a mountain dish from the Eastern Mediterranean, it has become one of the most popular Middle Eastern salads

Made with fresh veggies, olive oil and spices, it can be eaten in pita bread, scooped onto pita bread, or eaten with a fork.
In the Middle East, fresh grape leaves are used as a scoop.

Tabouleh can be made with a variety of veggies according to your tastes. Feel free to experiment with what you like. There are no fast, hard rules here - add carrots, cucumbers, red or green onions. If you want a more hearty salad, add romaine lettuce. You can also consider swapping out the bulgar for quinoa or orzo for an alternative Tabbouleh salad. As with all recipe alterations, taste as you go.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium tomatoes, diced
• 2 bunches of fresh parsley - stems discarded
• I medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup bulgur - medium grade
• 6 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp of fresh mint - chopped
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

• Soak bulgur in water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in cold water until soft
  
  
• Squeeze out excess water from bulgur using hands or paper towel
  
  
• Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil
  
  
• Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top
  
  
• Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving