Tabbouleh Salad
This is not a grain salad; it is an herb salad with a bit of bite. The secret lies in the knife work and the timing of the soak.
Mind the moisture.
Wash your herbs hours before you begin so they are completely dry when you chop them. Damp parsley turns into a paste.
- chef's knife
- large mixing bowl
- cutting board
- colander
What goes in.
- 3 cupsflat-leaf parsley, tightly packed and finely chopped
- 1 cupfresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cupgreen onions, white and green parts, sliced thin
- 1/4 cupfine bulgur wheat
- 3firm Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced small
- 1/3 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cupfresh lemon juice
- 1 tspsea salt
Hydrate, don't boil
Soak the bulgur in the lemon juice and half the olive oil while you chop the herbs. It absorbs the acid directly, gaining flavor while it softens.
The method.
Soak the bulgur
In your mixing bowl, stir the dry bulgur with the lemon juice, half the olive oil, and the salt. Set it aside for 30 minutes until soft.
Prep the herbs
Gather your parsley into tight bundles. Use a sharp knife to cut it finely, but stop before it bruises and turns dark green. Do the same with the mint.
Dice the tomatoes
Remove the watery seeds from the tomatoes. Dice the flesh into small, uniform cubes so they don't turn the salad into soup.
Toss
Add the herbs, onions, and tomatoes to the bowl with the bulgur. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and fold gently with a large spoon.
Other turns to take.
Winter Tabbouleh
Swap the tomatoes for pomegranate seeds to add a tart crunch that holds up better in colder months.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Discard the thick stems of the parsley; they add a bitter, woody texture you don't want.
If the salad tastes dull, add more salt before you add more lemon; salt pulls the brightness out of the herbs.
Let the finished salad rest for 15 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use couscous instead of bulgur?
It changes the texture significantly. Bulgur provides a chewy resistance that stays firm; couscous tends to become mushy when mixed with acid.
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