I can have salads any time and if they have lots of greens like lettuce, spinach leaves and even parsley like in this tabbouleh, you can find me digging into a large bowl along with my main dish or even as a snack with a good book in my hand! Tabbouleh or tabouli is a Middle Eastern salad and there has always been a tussle whether it originated from Lebanon or Israel. Whatever be the origin, I love it! My first taste of this delicious and crunchy salad was at a Middle Eastern restaurant. I loved the freshness and crunch of the curly parsley and I was fascinated by the sprinkling of bulgur in it.
Once home, I lost no time in digging out the recipe from various cookbooks to come up with my version. Cracked wheat is always in my pantry. I have used it to make a spicy pongal (a south Indian lentil-cracked wheat risotto) and a scrumptious traditional Indian sweet dessert called Khichdi with chana dal. This recipe needed only soaking of the cracked wheat or bulgur. While it is soaking, chop up all the other salad ingredients; parsley, mint leaves, tomatoes and onions. For added color and crunch, I grated some fresh carrots and mixed it in. Parsley could either be flat leaf parsley or curly parsley. I love the crunch and slight tang of the curly parsley, so I have used only that in this salad. You can use either.
Finely chop all the ingredients and mix it in with soaked and drained cracked wheat or dalia along with finely chopped tomatoes, onion, mint, or even some cucumber or carrots. Drizzle some olive oil or any cooking or salad oil for that matter but do not omit the lime or lemon juice; that gives this salad the amazing slight sour flavor which adds to the crunch and texture of the parsley. For that Indian in me, I sprinkled some roasted cumin powder; gives it a lovely spicy hue. Once mixed, chill it for a while for flavors to blend through and serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish with any meal! For a no-carb, low calorie meal, savor them in lettuce leaves!
So, if you love to try new dishes and adore salads, then you must try this easy and fresh Mediterranean healthy vegan salad soon, either with curly or fresh flat leaf parsley, and enjoy it as a salad or appetizer. Happy Cooking! Love to enjoy salads everyday? Then check out these other healthy ones: Three Bean Salad with Walnuts and Pomegranate Mung Bean Sprouts, Mango and Corn Salad Carrot and Beetroot Salad
Step-by-step method to make Tabbouleh:
Soak dalia in at least twice the amount of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain, squeeze the water out well and keep aside.
Wash parsley and mint leaves well in plenty of water, drain and pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop parsley and mint leaves. Transfer the chopped greens along with chopped tomatoes, onions and carrots to a large mixing bowl.
Add the soaked and drained dalia to this mixture. Sprinkle salt to taste, pepper powder, cumin powder, olive oil and lime juice.
Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour to allow all the flavors to infuse well. Serve as a side dish with any meal or enjoy with chips, pita breads, in lettuce cups for a no-carb meal or even in sandwiches for a healthy snack!
Enjoy! Stored in airtight containers, it stays well in the refrigerator for a couple of days; a perfect side dish salad for a party or get together!
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½ cup bulgur/cracked wheat/dalia 2 cups finely chopped parsley (curly or flat leaf) ¼ to ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes ¼ cup finely chopped red onions 1 large carrot peeled and grated 2 to 3 tbsp lime juice 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ tsp black pepper powder 1 tsp roasted cumin powder Salt to taste Optional: Finely chopped cucumbers Finely chopped green onions Finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro
Instructions
