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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Tabbouleh is another Lebanese national dish. A fresh summer wheat salad lends itself well to variations. One key is to have the greens, wheat and lentils as dry as possible before assembly. Wet ingredients are this salad's worst enemy. Ingredients:
1/2 cup #1 burghul (fine cracked wheat) #2 will work but not traditional. |
1/2 cup red onion chopped fine |
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon |
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper |
1 - 2 tsp salt |
3 cups finely chopped flat leaf parsley |
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions |
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes |
1/2 cup orange lentils (soaked overnight)** optional |
1 1/2 cups finely chopped mint leaves (preferably mediterranean) |
1/2 cup lemon juice |
3/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil |
young fresh grape leaves for dipping (in season) |
small romaine leaves for dipping |
fresh arabic bread (pita) cut into quarters or eighths |
Directions:
1. This is a finely chopped salad, the greens should almost be confettied.
2. Drain Lentils (if using) and place in saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 15 mins or until just tender. Rinse with cold water until cooled completely. Drain very well and spread on a toweled sheet pan to dry further.
3. Soak Burghul in water to cover by a half inch or so. (about 20 min) Drain well and squeeze out as much water as you can. Spread out on a sheet pan to dry further.
4. Combine Onion with Cinnamon, Pepper, & Salt. Set Aside
5. In a large bowl, combine Parsley, Scallions, Tomatoes, and Mint.
6. Gently fold in Wheat and Lentils. Dress with half the lemon and oil. Refrigerate about 1 hour stirring the salad 3 times at 20 minute intervals. (This gives the wheat and lentils a chance to absorb the dressing flavors and any excess liquid released by the Tomatoes.)
7. Stir in seasoned Onion and dress with remaining Lemon & Oil as needed. Adjust Seasonings. Stir thoroughly. The wheat and lentils should soak up most of the dressing. If there is too much liquid at the bottom, you either have too much dressing or the ingredients are too wet.
8. To Serv: Surround the Salad with Pita, young Romain, and/or Grape Leaves. Use them to scoop up the salad in bites.
9. Frequent Addition:
10. Cucumber-Peas
11. 1 cup finely chopped Cucumber and 1 cup whole fresh peas
12. ** In the winter when tomatoes are out of season. Omit tomatoes and add an additional 1/2 cup Orange Lentils.
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