Sunday, February 8, 2009

Fresh Tabouleh Salad

Tabouleh is found throughout the Middle East and every bite of this refreshing salad is alive with fresh herbs, tomatoes and bulgur wheat. I prefer a higher bulgur to salad ratio than what is traditional and have also made a few other additions to my recipe in order to make it a little heartier. This recipe makes a great accompaniment to grilled salmon, tuna, or steak, or you can simply toss it in a pita with some tahini yogurt sauce and you have a perfect sandwich.

Soulful, nutritious, and delicious, this vibrant salad is always crowd pleaser.

tabouleh salad

Recipe:
¾ cup of bulgur wheat
1 cup of water
1 English Cucumber – split, seeded, and diced
2 Plum Tomatoes - diced
1 Small shallot - diced
1 Bell pepper – diced
1 Clove Garlic - minced
1 JalapeƱo – seeded, fine diced

¼ cup fresh mint - chiffonade
½ cup fresh cilantro – Chiffonade

Dressing:
1 tsp lemon zest
Juice of one Lemon
3 TBS Olive oil
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Pepper
¼ tsp Cumin

½ tsp of salt or to taste
1.4 tsp of black pepper

veggies

Place the bulgur in a bowl, heat the water in the microwave until boiling, pour the water over the bulgur and let it set for 45 minutes.
bulgar wheat

Prepare the vegetables and set aside. Prepare the dressing after the bulgur has set for 45 minutes and absorbed the water. Combine the dressing with the wheat and stir until it is evenly distributed. Combine the vegetables and bulgur, prepare the fresh herbs and mix into the bulgur wheat mixture.

fresh herbs

Serve with a dollop of hummus and pita. This recipe is also a great addition to a falafel sandwich!