Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh (Tabouli)

Along with hummus, tabbouleh (tabouli) is perhaps the best-known Lebanese dish outside the Middle East. It was certainly part of my introduction to Lebanese food and I remember my sister’s mother-in-law – Teta as everyone called her – making it in huge metal bowls on her kitchen table. Naturally recipes and ratios vary from family to family, though it’s important to remember that it is a parsley salad – so no coriander and not too much burghul. If you like a salad that’s more burghul-heavy, you want the Turkish version, called kisir. Some people like their tabbouleh more heavily dressed than others, so double the dressing if you like, just remember that a drier salad keeps better and you can always add more dressing to brighten it up before serving. In Lebanon tabbouli is often served with small cos lettuce leaves to spoon it into.

Serves 4–6 as a side dish

Ingredients
  • 20g fine burghul (5 teaspoons)
  • 100g (about 11) grape tomatoes (3.5oz)
  • 1 green onion
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 75g whole/1 cup chopped)
  • ½ large bunch mint leaves (about 20g whole/¼ cup chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon Lebanese 7 Spice (baharat)
  • Salt flakes, to taste
  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (30ml)
  • 1 tablespoon strained lemon juice, or more to taste (20ml)
  • A few baby cos lettuce leaves (optional)
Method
  1. Place burghul in a strainer and rinse well under running water. Drain well then place in a bowl, cover and set aside for an hour or so.
  2. Meanwhile, dice tomato and place in a mixing bowl.
  3. Finely slice the green onion (the white and a good section of the green) and add to the bowl.
  4. Slice parsley and mint as finely as possible and add to the bowl.
  5. Add burghul to the bowl.
  6. Add 7 Spice, salt, oil and lemon juice and mix well.
  7. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or oil if you like.
  8. Place in a bowl or arrange on a platter with lettuce leaves, if using, and serve.

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Tabbouleh (Tabouli)

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