Recipe: Authentic Lebanese Tabbouleh

1 In a large salad bowl, pour the bulgur then rinse it with clear water, drain it and put it back in the bowl so it "swells" for a small hour in the refrigerator.

2 During this time wash all the vegetables and dry them with a towel.

3 Peel the tomatoes, open them, remove the seeds and cut them into very small dice.

4 Finely chop the onions.

5 Squeeze the lemons.

6 Remove the stem from the parsley, wash it then dry it with a kitchen towel and mince it as finely as possible.

7 In a large salad bowl pour the bulgur, add the vegetables (tomatoes and onions) mix then pour the lemon juice, the chopped parsley, the tablespoons of olive oil, stir well and season with fine salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste.

Only add your chopped mint when serving.

Traditionally this tabbouleh is served on a large plate bordered with romaine lettuce leaves, young grape leaves or tender cabbage leaves, then you use these same leaves to make cones that you then fill with this tabbouleh.

*Bulgur also called Boulgour, borghol, bourghol, or burghul is a by-product of durum wheat stripped of its bran, it is then pre-cooked with steam dried and then cracked.

Do not confuse it with couscous semolina.

Ps) do not use curly parsley as its taste is far too strong to prepare this recipe.

I personally want to thank my Lebanese friend, biologist doctor Antoine Boustani, established in Beirut, passionate about literature and cooking, for sending this beautiful recipe that I hope you will duplicate infinitely when the season of beautiful ripe tomatoes arrives.