It is no secret that I am a massive middle eastern cuisine fan. Unfortunately, I have never been to any of the places where the dishes I love originate, therefore, my understanding of the dishes is based purely on recipes and restaurants I have visited in the UK (and a few dotted around Europe!).

My favourite part of Lebanese/Moroccan cuisine is mezze. I love picking and choosing what to eat, having a little bit of everything and sharing with all your friends and family. At which point I come to my tabbouleh. A fresh herby salad which pairs perfectly with an array of vegetarian and meat mezze dishes, and is perfect served with a dollop of hummus on top. 

I used Valentine Warner's recipe for inspiration in making this simple but staple middle eastern dish.

To make the salad you will need:

25g bulgur wheat (dry weight)
2 large salad tomatoes
Large bunch fresh flatleaf parsley (leaves only)
Small bunch fresh mint leaves
1 red onion
2 tbsp lemon juice

Begin by placing the bulgur wheat in a small bowl, then cover it with boiling water.

Cover and set aside until the water has been absorbed.

Grab your tomatoes, and make a cross at the base of each.

Place the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for 30 seconds, before draining the water away.

Once the tomatoes have cooled, cut them into quarters and remove the seeds.

Dice the tomato flesh, then place it all in a large mixing bowl.

Now for the fiddly part. Wash and finely chop the mint and parsley leaves, before adding them to the mixing bowl.

Finely chop the onion, try not to cry! Throw it in to the mixing bowl with the herbs and tomatoes. 

Add in the bulgur wheat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Give it all a big mix.

And there you have it. A ridiculously easy to put together salad, perfect served along with tapas or mezze dishes, and even better in the summer served up with your BBQ dishes of choice.

Now I am dreaming of a warm summers evening with the smell of a BBQ and a glass full of Pimms! Hurry up Spring & Summer.

Rosie

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