A tangy salad

In my opinion, there's nothing better than a tangy vegetable salad. Growing up, "salad" consisted of an array of thinly sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and sometimes radishes spread in a single layer. Just before dinner, my brother or I would be called upon to dress the salad with lime juice and salt. By the time we were ready to eat, the vegetables would have given off a little moisture but they remained crisp and juicy.

Since then I've come to appreciate a wide variety of zingy salads. Korean panchan, Israeli chopped salads, Greek salads -- all favorites of mine. Today I opened the fridge to a lonely looking half-bunch of parsley, a few scallions and a sack of Bob's Red Mill whole grain bulgur. I thought I'd make one of my favorite salads and clean out the fridge in one fell swoop. To avoid alienating my parsley-averse husband, I only used half a bunch of parsley rather than my preferred 2 bunches (since, traditionally, tabbouleh should consist mostly of parsley). I was too lazy to run to the store for mint, which I typically would use. Even with the shortcuts, I was rewarded with a bowl of fluffy bulgur drenched in a refreshing, lemony dressing.

** Regular bulgur (rather than whole grain) can be substituted. Just follow the package directions. I personally find whole grain bulgur quite delicious.


Tabbouleh - adapted from Gourmet magazine and Bob's Red Mill

Serves 3-4

1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat) -- (Note - I used whole grain)
1/2 bunch parsley, minced (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 bunch mint, minced
3-4 scallions, sliced thinly
Black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
1/4 t ground cumin (Note - I doubled this)
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1-2 lemons
2-4 T olive oil

For whole grain bulgur, cover with 1 cup tap water and let stand at least 30 minutes. I personally prefer to soak for a few hours to make sure the grains are soft enough.

Drain the bulgur well and then add all herbs and spices. Squeeze the lemon juice over and dress with enough olive oil to thoroughly moisten. Taste for seasoning. It should taste bright and lemony.