Ingredients
Method
- Start with your bulgur wheat. Since we are using fine bulgur (#1), you do not actually need to cook it on the stove. Place the dry wheat in a small bowl and pour your lemon juice over it. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
- Dice your tomatoes as small as you can. Once they are chopped, put them in a colander over a bowl or the sink. Sprinkle them with a tiny bit of salt. This helps draw out the excess juice.
- Let the tomatoes drain for about 10 minutes while you work on the herbs.
- Wash your parsley thoroughly and make sure it is completely dry. If the parsley is wet, it will turn into a green paste when you chop it. Remove the thick stems and gather the leaves into a tight bundle. Use a very sharp knife to slice through the bundle as finely as possible.
- Treat the mint the same way as the parsley. Pull the leaves off the stems and stack them on top of each other. Roll them up like a cigar and slice them into tiny ribbons. Chop it right before you are ready to mix the salad to keep that bright green color and fresh scent.
- In a small jar, whisk together your olive oil, allspice, salt, and pepper.
- Find your largest mixing bowl. Toss in the chopped parsley, mint, green onions, and the drained tomatoes. Add the soaked bulgur wheat (which should have absorbed all the lemon juice by now). Pour the dressing over the top. Use two large spoons to toss the salad gently.
Notes
The biggest mistake is using the wrong kind of parsley. You must use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley. Curly parsley has a very different texture that can feel like eating grass in a salad this size. Flat-leaf parsley is softer, sweeter, and much easier to chop into the tiny pieces required for a proper tabbouleh.