Another one of my favourites from my mom’s cookbook. I often put in more garlic and add about a third of an English cucumber. Great to take to a BBQ or picnic. I almost always get asked for the recipe when I bring it to a pot-luck. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
A salad with grain. Can be a meal in itself. Take your time. Chew slowly while reading a magazine if eating solo.
Tabouli
Serves 4. Make at least 3 hours before serving.Bulgur are wheat kernels that have been steamed, dried, and crushed. So, it is pre-cooked and easy to prepare, but also perishable. Store in fridge for months or freeze for up to a year.
1 C bulgur, medium grind
1 1/2 C boiling water
1 tsp salt
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp dried or 1 TB fresh mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced 2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 C fresh parsley, chopped (packed)
1/3 English cucumber, sliced and cut in half
1. Combine bulgur, water, and salt in a medium glass or pottery bowl. Cover and let stand 1/2 hour. Liquid should all be absorbed. If not, drain it and put it back in the bowl.
2. Add lemon juice, garlic, mint and oil. Mix thoroughly (even with your hands). Refrigerate 2 hours.
3. When serving, add vegetables. Toss together gently. Taste for seasoning. Fresh ground pepper and/or crumbled feta cheese can be sprinkled on top.
Keeps for a few days in the fridge.
Shack Life Quarterly 
Nice, Theo! Here are some tips for a more Armenian/Lebanese flavour (my grandmother was born in Beruit). Although I think there are as many tabouleh variants as there are households, as there are spellings of its name (all correct, as far as I know!) 🙂
1. Use fine bulgur and don’t soak it. Simply measure it out into a sieve, give it a good rinse, let it drain a little in the sink and then throw it into the mixing bowl. This is enough and the bulgur will have a little bite, although it will also take on liquid from the lemon & tomatoes – I find too much water at this stage makes things mushy.
2. Big up the lemon and parsley. For a cup of bulgur, I’d typically use 2-3 lemons and one large bunch of parsley. Some people use even more parsley than this – I like the visual end effect to be 1 part “green” 1 part “other” (i.e. bulgur & other ingredients). Chop the parsley real fine, stalks and all. (I found a friend complaining that tabouleh took hours to make. I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was picking the individual leaves off the parsley stalks, prior to chopping!!!!)
3. No garlic. Use a medium onion instead, chopped very fine. Or/additionally you can use spring onions chopped very fine. Garlic is used surprisingly infrequently in middle eastern cooking – onion is the more essential flavour.
4. Tomatoes… Right, I think the key with tabouleh is getting the balance between the sweetness (provided predominantly by the tomatoes) and the sourness (mainly the lemon) right. Generally in the UK, tomatoes aren’t quite sweet enough. No fear, chuck in a red capsicum, chopped real fine! It adds sweetness, and has a satisfying flavour in its own right!
5. For a twist (or two) add some chilli (either raw and finely chopped, or in the form of tabasco sauce) and/or a small amount (half a teaspoon) of cinnamon. It should be barely noticeable but it gives a little edge.
6. Mint. I only bother if it’s fresh.
7. Cucumbers. Take them or leave them. Personally, I’d take the cucumbers and garlic and make some tzaziki!
Keep it coming, the blog is looking good! Can’t wait to try that chicken recipe you posted…
dan
Thanks Dan! Looking forward to giving this variation a go. My dad is allergic to onions, so I guess that’s why we used garlic in our version.
Here is another variation that I just found in my latest Epicurious Recipe Flash. They call it Mexican Bulgur and Vegetable Salad, but I reckon it’s tabouli masquerading again..
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/239694