ERIKA ALLISTON : Sweet Pea – food blog

Taboule (tabbouleh, tabouli ) – is an easy recipe for when you don’t feel like cooking! Or when you don’t have time to cook, or when you have a big group coming over, or if, like my brother, you don’t have an oven! There does not seem to be one single recipe for tabbouleh, but several variations on a theme: Moroccan, Armenian, Turkish, Syrian and Lebanese. The basic dish is a salad of herbs to which you add tomatoes, onions and bulgar wheat (cracked wheat). Traditionally it is eaten as part of a mezze, a selection of small dishes,  using a lettuce leaf.

I prefer this salad when it has a 50:50 balance of herbs (mint /parsley) to bulgar, but what is great is that you can  personalise the dish to your taste. Another reason I was attracted to this salad is that it is budget conscious and in these times that can be nothing but a good thing!

RECIPE  - SWEET PEA Blog

• 80 grams bulgar wheat (cracked wheat)
• 2 shallots + 1 teaspoon oil for cooking (alternative*)
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 bouquet of flat parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• salt & pepper
• sprinkle of cumin (optional)

*chopped fresh spring onions

(Photos: Bulgar wheat, fresh mint, flat parsley, shallots)

1. First prepare the bulgar wheat. Place in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave in the fridge for an hour.
2. Next prepare the onions. Finely chop, and cook in oil until just soft.  Alternatively, if you prefer spring onions, finely chop them and set aside.
3. Finely chop the tomatoes, parsley and mint.
4. In a serving bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, cumin is optional.
5. Add the bulgar, onions, tomatoes, parsley & mint and mix well.