Turkish
Tabbouleh Salad
(serves
8 as a side dish)
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Place: |
| 1/2 |
c |
couscous |
| 1/2-3/4 |
c |
warm water |
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in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes or
so, until the couscous is light and fluffy. |
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Combine with the couscous: |
| 1 |
bunch |
Italian parsley, chopped |
| 1 |
bunch |
fresh mint, chopped |
| 2 |
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green onions, chopped |
| 1 |
T |
cumin seeds, toasted lightly and
ground |
| 1 |
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lemon, juiced |
| 2 |
T |
olive oil |
| 1 |
t |
salt, to taste |
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Stir together, garnish with lemon slices,
chill and serve. |
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Notes &
Variations:
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This is basically how tabouli is made in the
large Turkish community of Berlin. It's very simple and fresh, and
the cumin gives it a distinctive flavor. Using Italian broad-leaf
parsley instead of curly parsley gives the dish more depth.
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You can add tomatoes but they aren't necessary
and, unless they are homegrown and really good, will more likely detract
from the dish.
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Most people make tabbouli with cracked bulghur
wheat instead of couscous. We prefer couscous because it is lighter,
and very simple to prepare. The main thing is not to use too much
of it. Tabbouleh should be predominantly a parsley and mint salad,
with approximately twice as much parsley as mint.
-
If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you
can grind the cumin seeds in an electric coffee grinder or a peppermill,
or simply chop them up finely.
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