Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh is a traditional Middle Eastern dish, so-named after the Arabic word taabil that means "seasoning." As with other regional foods, variations on the classic abound according to locale but the mainstay components of the dish consist of mint, parsley, onion and tomatoes, seasoned with lemon, olive oil and salt. This recipe calls for bulgar, but the salad is also delicious made with quinoa or couscous.

Note: Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce that has a darker color and more intense flavor than regular soy sauce. In fact, it's bold texture holds up to use as a dipping sauce.

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)

2 cups boiling water

1 bunch green onion, sliced

1 cucumber, chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar

Juice of of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place bulgur in a large bowl. Cover with the boiling water and let stand, covered, for 20 minutes; fluff with a fork to separate grains (drain any excess water, if necessary). Stir in onion, cucumber, parsley, mint and tomatoes. Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and soy sauce and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Toss lightly before serving.