Tabbouleh
This looks so festive for Christmas and also so healthy.
Tabbouleh, also called tabouli, is a salad from Levant which is made of bulgur mixed with various types of seasonings. Seasonings for the dish usually include parsley, mint, spring onion, tomatoes along with lemon juice and olive oil. It is also known as ‘tabaouli’ or ‘tabouleh’.
History of Tabouli Tabbouleh is known to have originated in the mountains of Lebanon and Syria. Edible herbs called qadb that are used in tabbouleh recipes even today, were eaten by Arabs since Medieval times. It is a part of the Arab food culture today, just as much as baba ghanouj, hummus and pita.
Ingredients Here are the commonly used ingredients for the dish- Bulgur: It is a cereal made from various species of wheat, commonly form durum wheat. It is a common element of food items in Middle East, Bulgaria and Greece. Salamouni is a variety of wheat from Mount Lebanon and Hawran region that is considered preferred wheat to make bulgur.
Seasonings Parsley, Tomato, Mint, Spring onions, Lime juice and Olive oil make up the seasoning mix for Tabouli.
Method of Preparation To prepare tabbouleh, bulgur is first treated with boiling water, after which it is drained and various seasonings are mixed into it. Seasonings used may vary from one recipe to another. The Lebanese recipe uses more parsley than bulgur in the dish.
Serving Tabbouleh It is served as a salad. It is served with lettuce as a part of the mezze (collection of small dishes in the Middle East, for lunch or dinner).
Popular Tabbouleh Variations Tabbouleh is prepared in different ways in different parts of the world. Here are some examples- Eetch is a dish from Armenia which has a closely similar recipe to Tabbouleh or tabaoli. Kisir is a Turkish dish made of bulgur, tomatoes and parsley, which is very similar to tabaoli. Tambouli is the variation from Cyprus, where the Lebanese are known to have introduced the dish.
Health and Nutrition Facts Bulgur, the principal ingredient of the dish, is a rich source of fiber, protein and essential minerals. It is a filling ingredient that is low in calories and fat. Tabbouleh is hence a very healthy food option.
This information courtesy of iFood.TV
Tabouli
courtesy of Disneyfamily.com
Ingredients
1 cup bulgur wheat 2 cups hot water…. 4 cups curly leaf parsley, chopped fine (I used flat leaf parsley)… 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped fine…. 1 small bunch green onions, sliced thinly…. 2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced small (I used cherry tomatoes) …. 2 large lemons, juiced …. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil ….1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (this is optional, but very traditional)…. 1/2 teaspoon salt
This is the bulgur wheat I used
Chopping and dumping is the basis of this dish how easy can that be…
More parsley to chop we love alot of this herb in ours
lemons
garlic
Directions
- Place bulgur in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand for 30 minutes. I rinsed and added tap water not hot.
- After soaking, squeeze water from bulgur with your hands, getting out as much as possible. Discard soaking water. Mine soaked up all of the liquid.
- Combine bulgur with remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Serve immediately if desired or chill for several hours. We love this a day or so later after all of the ingredients melt together as well. This is wonderful in the summer but living in Florida I have a fabulous garden with a lot of parsley and mint right now.
Enjoy this healthful dish during the Holiday Season. Here is a You Tube video from AboutEating.com