TABBOULEH TIME

To round off a week of mezze based treats comes the jewel in the crown! This stunning tabbouleh looks gorgeous but you won't believe how super quick and simple it is to whip up. All you need is to soak some Bulgar wheat, prepare a zingy marinade and chop up a few herbs and veg, whiz it all together and you have a middle eastern masterpiece ready to plonk on your table for everyone to dive into. Throw over some glistening pomegranate seeds to finish for a burst of fruitiness and you have the perfect tabbouleh feast!

Bulgar what can be found in most large supermarkets or world food stores and works along the same lines as cous cous. Saying that if you can't get your hands on it then cous cous will make an ample substitute or you can always pick up a box of tabbouleh mix which you can also just add water too for the same effect. Cous cous and tabbouleh mixes can often have herbs and spices already infused in them so bear this in mind when your adding the herbs and spices in the recipe below. For instance, if the cous cous or mix already is flavored with tomato, you may not want to add the tomato puree into the water when you soak them and so on.

I understand as well that pomegranates and the molasses can be tricky to get hold of if you don't have the right shops near you and can also be a bit pricey. If you want to exclude them from the recipe then please feel free too but you may want to add a bit more lemon juice or olive oil and maybe a smidge of sugar to keep that sweet edge and moisture in the tabbouleh or you might find it to be quite dry and bland. 

The chopped veg in this recipe can also be changed for anything that you can lash in raw and enjoy. I like the combination of textures and flavors the tomatoes, onions, peppers and cucumber give the tabbouleh but if your not a fan of any of them you can leave them out. I think radishes would work, I'm not a fan but the crunch they have would add a nice bite to the tabbouleh and of course you can use different varieties of the below as well should as green peppers instead of red or white instead of red onion. It's completely up for your own personal interpretation.

Here is my take on the tabbouleh. I advise prep the veg whilst the Bulgar wheat soaks to allow you to manage your time better. That way, you can have this dish on your table in roughly less than 45 minutes if you get a wiggle on!

Tabbouleh

250g Bulgar Wheat

2 Tsp Tomato Puree

1 Tsp Ground Cumin

Handful Chopped Fresh Mint Leaves

50ml Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses

Juice Of Half A Lemon

1 Chopped Red Onion
Salt And Pepper To Season

Handful Of Halved Cherry Tomatoes

1 Chopped Large Sweet Red Pepper

4 Chopped Spring Onions

Half A Small De-seeded Chopped Cucumber

Handful Chopped Parsley Leaves

Handful Pomegranate Seeds

1. Begin by adding the Bulgar wheat to a large bowl and pouring roughly 200ml of boiling water over it (refer to the packet for further help). Dollop in the tomato puree and mix everything together. Cover and leave for around 20 minutes until all the Bulgar wheat has absorbed the water. 
2. Whilst you wait for the Bulgar wheat, add the mint leaves, olive oil, molasses, lemon juice and chopped red onions into a separate bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix everything together. Taste and adjust the flavors if needed. Leave to one side.
3. Once the Bulgar wheat has soaked up most of the water, tip it into a sieve to remove any excess moisture and fluff it all up with a fork. Place it into a large bowl along with the marinated onions and the tomatoes, pepper, spring onions and cucumber and toss everything together until well combined and evenly distributed.
4. Transfer the tabbouleh to a serving bowl or platter and top with the chopped parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds.

With that, its tabbouleh time! The sweet and zingy dressing from the marinated onions really pumps the Bulgar wheat with flavor and the crispy, crunchy vegetables offer different types of textures that really start a little party in your mouth. It makes a delicious main components to a picnic type mezze meal to share between friends and family. Serve it up alongside my tzatziki, red pepper, hummus and aubergine dips with some freshly baked bread to scoop everything up with and you have a feast that really is fit for a king. When it tastes this good, I think you'll find that it's tabbouleh time all the time!