Quick and Easy Summer Recipe: Tabouleh Middle Eastern Salad

Tabouleh:

We adapted this recipe from one we found in Natural Home Magazine. Theirs called for a large quantity of mint, which didn't appeal to us. But we used peppermint, and it should have been spearmint. Try a little in this, if you like it and can get it fresh.

Until recently, tabouleh wasn't on my list of favorite recipes. Maybe I tried it once and didn't like it, or maybe I'm more adventurous now that I'm in the wise woman phase of life. That must be it.

This is a divine summer meal, combining tomato, cucumber and fresh herbs. The fresher the ingredients, and the more faithful you are to the ingredient list, the better this tastes. It's great with corn on the cob too - of course, anything is! Try the farmer's market for the veg's and herbs, if there's one nearby.

Ingredients:

1. 1 c. bulgar wheat
2. 1 c. boiling water
3. � tsp salt
4. 1/3 c. toasted pine nuts - can substitute walnuts. Toast in a dry frying pan or in the oven, med. low temp. Keep your eye on them!
5. 1/4c. currants, soaked ten minutes, and drained (Use raisins, if you can't find currants, but they're not as good)
6. � c. olive oil
7. 1 clove garlic, OR a tiny pinch of asefetida (hing) if you don't like garlic
8. 1 med. cucumber, peeled, quartered, and chopped, approx. 1 cup
9. 1 large tomato, quartered, seeded and chopped, approx. 1 cup
10. � c. minced fresh basil, or 1 Tblsp. dried, or fresh spearmint, if you'd rather
11. � c. minced fresh parsley
12. 1 Tbsp. each chopped fresh oregano and marjoram OR 1 tsp dried
13. 1 to 1 1/2c. cooked garbanzo beans. See directions for cooking below. If you use canned beans, drain and rinse well.
14. � c. lemon juice
15. Salt and pepper to taste
16. 6 large lettuce leaves

Cooking garbanzo beans:

1. Soak 1 c. garbanzo beans overnight, or in hot water from the tap for 4 - 6 hours.
2. Drain and rinse.
3. Add unsalted water to cover.
4. Bring to boil, for 10 minutes, skim foam.
5. Cover, lower heat to simmer.
6. Cook for two hours, checking water level occasionally.
7. Freeze any extra beans to use another day.

Directions:

1. Boil water. Add salt & bulgar. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for thirty minutes.
2. Soak the currants, and toast the pine nuts
3. Heat the olive oil on low, peel and mince the garlic, and heat in the oil for 5 - 10 min.
4. Chop cucumber, tomato, and fresh herbs.
5. Whisk lemon juice into olive oil, and combine all ingredients.
6. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
7. Line a beautiful bowl with lettuce leaves, place the tabouleh in the middle.
8. Garnish with sprigs of parsley, basil or mint, crumbled feta, greek olives, or whatever appeals to you.

*If you're going to soak and cook beans, it's worth making extra, to freeze in small amounts for future meals.

*For more detailed advice on cooking and eating beans:
Ask The Savvy Vegetarian: How To Eat Beans Without Gas

*For more great bean recipes from Savvy Vegetarian, go to:
Barley Bean Veggie Soup - Vegan
Refried Beans - Vegan Slightly Garlicky Hummus - Vegan
Zoe's Vegetarian Chili - Vegan

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