Tabouli is a famous and healthy salad which originated in the Middle Eastern region. It is a versatile salad that can be prepared in a variety of ways. The base of Tabouli is wheat grain and their main ingredients are bulgur and parsley. Bulgur is prepared by boiling and then drying the wheat grains. It can be purchased from any supermarket or packaged food store. In addition to being a standalone salad, tabouli can be wrapped in a tortilla wrap filled with chicken. It can also be used as dip with pita chips and as a topping for baked potatoes. Tabouli is an excellent salad to be incorporated with Greek dishes.
Summers can be made exciting by eating refreshing tabouli salad with lemony taste. Tabouli has several benefits. It is inexpensive and low in fat and is a good choice for vegetarians. So, it is a good idea to prepare it at home as per your liking and taste. Preparing this salad at home is very easy and you can make it healthier by adding more vegetables. Let’s check out how easily you can prepare this dish.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 30 minutes
Resources Required:
- 1/4 cup dry bulgur wheat
- 2 large bunches of fresh parsley
- 1 medium size cucumber
- 2 bunches of green onions
- 2 large tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small or medium sized bowl
Instructions:
1. Soak the bulgur: Bulgur bought from the super markets is already cooked. You will only have to rehydrate it. Put the bulgur in a medium or large size bowl and add boiling water to it. If you want you can also add some salt to it, according to your taste. Cover the bowl and leave it for 20-30 minutes so that the dry bulgur absorbs the hot water. Wait till the bulgur becomes soft.
2. Remove excess water: Use a paper towel or a fine sieve to drain or remove water from the bulgur so that all the excess water is removed.
3. Prepare the ingredients: You will have to wait for the bulgur to soak for approximate 20-30 minutes. Utilize this time to prepare other ingredients. In order to remove the dirt from parsley, wash it thoroughly under running water. Remove the excess water from it by shaking it. Chop and cut the vegetables in edible size. You can put tomato, onion, cucumber, mint, spring onion, garlic and parsley.
4. Mix the Ingredients: When the bulgur is ready add lemon juice and olive oil to it. Refrigerate the mixture till it is chilled. Then add all the chopped vegetables you have cut in the earlier step.
5. Serving the tabouli: Remember that you should add the herbs and vegetables to the tabouli just before you serve it. It can be served like that only or can be served on a layer of lettuce.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When making tabouli, should I cook or pre-soak the bulgur?
Bulgur is prepared by boiling and then drying the wheat grains. The bulgur which is sold in the market is precooked. So, you only need to rehydrate it by soaking in hot water.
Quick Tips:
- Use Tabouli with hummus and eggplant.
- Use Tabouli for lunches and packed meal as it can be conveniently packed.
- It can be added to falafel rolls or falafel dishes.
- Tabouli can be used as topping for baked potatoes.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Do not over soak the bulgur. Keep checking in between.
- Drain the excess water from the bulgur else it will become soggy.
