[joujoudoll]

i went to a greek restaurant years ago and someone at my table ordered this really yummy stuff that was made with chopped up herbs. i could tell there were onions and garlic and lemon juice in it and sometimes it is made with barley in it, served with pita bread. i found out the name of the dish and i wanted to make it sometime soon, but i have forgotten the name of the dish... please help! thanks in advance to any replies!

-Stephanie

[thetincook]

Tabouli! Its the best thing ever.


To make it you'll need:

1 parts fine grind bulger wheat soaked in 2 part liquid (lemon juice, you can also use part water too if its too sour.) After this has been absorbed ~45 minutes, fluff with fork/fingers. Toss with:

Finely chopped parsley
Finely chopped mint (Fresh spearmint is best, but dried works too)
Minced garlic.
Finely chopped scallion or onion.
Small dice cucumber
Small dice tomato
Olive oil
S&P

Let flavors meld for an hour or two.

I sometimes add fresh dill or tarragon if I have any fresh on hand. You can also use vinegar or verjuice in place of lemon. Some people use pureed onion for the liquid. There are verions that add chopped radish greens, cinnamon, or allspice. I usually go easy on the garlic and onion. I like adding a dollop of plain yougurt to my portion. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of aleppo pepper.

[joujoudoll]

Originally Posted by thetincook

Tabouli! Its the best thing ever.


To make it you'll need:

2 parts fine grind bulger wheat soaked in 1 part liquid (lemon juice, you can also use part water too if its too sour.) After this has been absorbed ~45 minutes, fluff with fork/fingers. Toss with:

Finely chopped parsley
Finely chopped mint (Fresh spearmint is best, but dried works too)
Finely chopped scallion or onion.
Minced garlic.
Small dice cucumber
Small dice tomato
Olive oil
S&P

Let flavors meld for an hour or two.

I sometimes add fresh dill or tarragon if I have any fresh on hand. You can also use vinegar or verjuice in place of lemon. Some people use pureed onion for the liquid. I've also had versions that had chopped radish greens added. I like adding a dollop of plain yougurt to my portion. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of aleppo pepper.

thank you very much, that was driving me insane that i had forgetten the name of tabouli... i can't believe i had a brain blank like that.

-Stephanie

[thetincook]

It should be 1 part buger to 2 parts liquid....

[Goose]

Originally Posted by joujoudoll

i went to a greek restaurant years ago and someone at my table ordered this really yummy stuff that was made with chopped up herbs. i could tell there were onions and garlic and lemon juice in it and sometimes it is made with barley in it, served with pita bread. i found out the name of the dish and i wanted to make it sometime soon, but i have forgotten the name of the dish... please help! thanks in advance to any replies!

-Stephanie

You got this in a Greek Rest? Interesting. Tabouli is not a greek dish. I believe it is Middleastern dish (Lebanese?), no?

[joujoudoll]

Originally Posted by Goose

You got this in a Greek Rest? Interesting. Tabouli is not a greek dish. I believe it is Middleastern dish (Lebanese?), no?

yeah i know, i was about 14 when i tried it and at that time i wasn't very experienced with ethnic foods... i later found out that it was middle eastern when i was about 17 and i was doing research on the internet about middle eastern food.

although, if you look at a map, greece is in the mediterranean sea on one side and the other side is in the aegean sea, neighbours to turkey which is in the middle east. that is why some of the greek food seems to resemble middle eastern food more than mediterranean, like baklava, pita bread, hummus, lamb, and a whole slue of other things...

and there is also when the muslims invaded the whole of the mediterranean many many years ago in 711 A.D. and that is where the mediterranean get their dark hair and eyes and olive skin. before the muslims invaded, the spanish were very pale skinned and had dark hair and green eyes and they fled to ireland to inhabit unoccupied land and they are now known as the irish, but they were the spanish before they fled.

sorry, now i am just babbling.

-Stephanie

[Mezzaluna]

It should be 1 part buger to 2 parts liquid..

Just to clarify, I think Thetincook meant "bulgar" wheat, right?

[Drac]

I grew up eating a lot of Greek food in Detroit; they have a Greek town there

When I was active duty Navy during the 1st Gulf War my ship stopped in Crete, Istanbul, Haifa & Jita (sp?). I was amazed by how much the dishes where similar in each country than a cook in Turkey explained that the Ottoman Empire had controlled huge amounts of those territory and had a strong influence on the cultural there. Much the same way Rome did on Western Europe.

Jim

[ChefTorrie]

Originally Posted by Mezzaluna

Just to clarify, I think Thetincook meant "bulgar" wheat, right?

ya im sure he meant bulgar where! At least I hope!!

[thetincook]

Originally Posted by ChefTorrie

ya im sure he meant bulgar where! At least I hope!!

Heck, I don't care what you call it, as long as the wheat comes from the nose.

[ChefTorrie]

'Atta Boy!

[shahar]

Instead of soaking in cold water soak in an equal amount of boiling water(add some evoo if you want). Wrap immediately in plastic wrap and let sit. Uncover and fluff.

We like to add pomegranate seeds and sometimes pomegranate molassass.

A variation I like takes the pesto route. Make a runny pesto with blanched parsley and basil, pesto, garlic, EVOO and lots of lemon juice and mix into the taboullah. Fresh pomegranate seeds add a lot.

Also you can make a cool "steak tartar" with taboullah and chopped raw meat. Also know as raw kubbeh it got it origins in jewish communities in suthern turkey. Mix all together and from into "footballs". Enjoy