HOMETOWN TABBOULEH

Serves: 6-8

In Middle Eastern stores, there’s more than one type of bulgur. You’ll generally find fine, medium, coarse bulgur, and bulgur for making koftas and kibbeh which are Middle Eastern meat dishes that are very distantly related to what we know as meatballs and meat loaf. It’s important to choose the fine bulgur, which is better in tabbouleh, over the coarse, which is better cooked.

1/2 cup (125 mL) fine bulgur 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped

2 cups (500 mL) finely chopped curly parsley, leaves and delicate stems only

1/2 cup (125 mL) seeded and finely chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup (125 mL) seeded and finely diced English cucumber

1/4 cup (60 mL) thinly sliced green onion

2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) sea salt

1 medium clove minced garlic

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground allspice

5 tbsp (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1. Rinse the bulgur in a sieve. Let sit draining in the sieve while preparing the other ingredients.

2. Combine the mint, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber and green onion. For the dressing, beat the lemon juice, salt, garlic, cinnamon and allspice in a small bowl. Slowly beat in the olive oil.

3. The vegetables and bulgur may be prepared 4-6 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, toss with the dressing.

Note: The bulgur is not cooked in this recipe. It absorbs water when rinsed and has a pleasantly chewy texture.