Summer Recipes: Tabouli Salad
Tabouli Salad
ingredients:
½ cup fine bulgur wheat
4 firm Roma tomatoes, finely chopped or 2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered
1 English cucumber, or regular medium sized cucumber (peeled and seeds removed) finely chopped (optional)
2 bunches parsley stems removed, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped
Salt to taste
¼ cup lemon juice (about two medium sized lemons)
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Romaine lettuce leaves to serve (optional)
directions:
Wash the bulgur wheat and soak it in water for 5-10 minute. Once tender drain very well (squeeze the bulgur wheat by hand, or cheese cloth to get rid of any excess water). Set aside.
While the bulgur is soaking finely chop the vegetables and herbs. Place them in a large bowl. Add the bulgur when it is ready and toss to combine the ingredients. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt to taste toss again to combine the added ingredients.
Cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To allow the flavors to combine before serving.
a few tips:
Extra fine bulgur does not need hot water or too much time to soak before adding it to the salad. If you use coarse or extra coarse bulgur, hot water is recommended and will need to be soaked for 45 minutes or until tender.
To achieve the right texture for the salad, chop the vegetables as finely as possible. I find using a food processor makes the vegetable mussy and does not give the tabouli the right texture. You can use a food processor to chop the parsley and mint, but I would chop the vegetables by hand with a sharp knife.
I know traditionally, tabouli does not call for cucumbers. I add them because I like the extra crunch, and they are plentiful during this time of year. Omit them if you would like. If using cucumber, remove the skin, cut the cucumber in halves, and remove most of the seeds, then chop.
To keep the tabouli from becoming soggy, use firm tomatoes and place the chopped tomatoes in a colander to drain any excess juice.
This dish is one of my favorites during the summer, especially when it gets hot. It is light, easy to digest, and cooling to the body. In Ayurvedic terms: it's pitta pacifying.
According to Ayurveda, the blood, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, stomach, skin, and sweat our dominated by Pitta dosha (fire + water). Mint and parsley help to detoxify the liver and cleanse the blood. While olive oil and lemon juice flush the bile in the liver and gallbladder, reduce inflammation, and helps to protect the skin from the sun.
Raw tomatoes, when consumed in moderation, cool the blood on hot summer days. They are high in vitamin A which clears heat from the liver and supports detoxification. Cucumbers cool down the liver and detoxify the blood. They work as a natural diuretic, reducing blood pressure and water retention while supporting bladder and kidney function. Combining a grain (tabouli) with a legume (hummus) makes a complete protein.
Enjoy the tabouli with a side of herbed hummus and romaine lettuce leaves. I like to use the romaine as a wrap, with a dollop of hummus and tabouli. Add a scoop of tabouli to your favorite greens, or enjoy it alone.