Tabouli

I'm not sure if you all are aware of my Lebanese roots, but my maternal grandparents were natives of Lebanon and came to America in their early years to build a life for their six amazing children.

OBVIOUSLY my grandmother brought her Lebanese recipes and cooking along with her.  I've never made so many of the things that she could do, but one thing I know and love to make is tabouli.  It makes me feel connected to her each time I make it.

Sooo... in the midst of the Freezer Finds I'll continue to share with you, here is an oldie but a goodie.  Most of this recipe is completely by feel and there is really no way to mess it up.  This recipe makes about 8 servings but keeps really nicely in the fridge.  I hope you enjoy it!  I haven't met anyone that hasn't loved this.

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup of bulgar wheat (you can find this in the bulk section in any Central Market, Whole Foods, or Sun Harvest)
• 1 bunch of green onions, diced
• 1/2 white onion, finely diced
• 1 bunch of curly parsley, picked and chopped
• 1 handful of mint, chopped
• 4-5 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
• juice of 3-4 lemons (fresh lemon juice is a MUST)
• canola oil
• S&P

Here's what you do:

1. Put the dried bulgar in a bowl and cover it with water so that there is about an inch of water covering everything.  Set it aside and let it soak while you are chopping the ingredients.
2. Do all your chopping.
3. Throw everything in a bowl.  Yes.  One bowl.  Everyone parties together.
4. Drain the water off the bulgur now, as best you can, and throw the bulgur in to party with the others.
5. Add the lemon juice.
6. Drizzle canola oil.  Not too much, just like a very light salad dressing.
7. Season with S&P to taste.
8. Let it marinate overnight in the fridge.  You can stir it occasionally.
9. Stir it again the next morning and add seasoning as needed.
10. Enjoy!

Here's what mine looks like when it's done...

And if you can't find bulk bulgar, you should be able to find Bob's Red Mill Bulgar Wheat.  This still has the hull on it.  Doesn't taste bad but is much nuttier and the overnight marination is critical to softening the hull enough to eat without a weird crunch.  That looks like this...

It is very refreshing and can be modified by adding more, or taking away, any one ingredient.  In the Middle Eastern custom, it is traditional to have this "salad" be more of a parsley based salad than wheat based.  

I've also seen crumbled goat cheese added for a protein addition.  Never tried this but I'm a goat cheese fan so I will one day.  Tried using watermelon instead of tomatoes once... Tried it ONCE. Catch my drift??  I like it my way (surprising), but the point is, it's very flexible!

I hope you love it!  Any questions, holler!