Baking Hermann
Recipes

Christmas Tabbouleh

This is not a traditional tabbouleh, but rather a tabbouleh-inspired salad to be served alongside the Pumpkin Kibbeh and Stuffed Grape Leaves for a festive Christmas spread. That way, it offers a bright and refreshing contrast to the heartier dishes.

The key to a decent tabbouleh is to chop the herbs as finely as possible and to not overwhelm them with too much bulgur. Use a few tablespoons of fine bulgur, soaked for 5 – 10 minutes in cold water, for the rest let the herbs make up the bulk of the dish. Since both the Pumpkin Kibbeh and Stuffed Grape Leaves already contain Lebanese 7 spice, I felt at liberty to leave it out. Usually, tabbouleh is also made with tomatoes, but since this is a Christmas salad, I opted for fresh pomegranate seeds instead.

serves 4-8

Ingredients

  • 60g fine bulgur (4 tbsp)

  • 1 pomegranate

  • 200g parsley

  • 60g mint

  • 1 large shallot

  • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses

  • 2 tsp sumac

  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 small garlic clove

Method

Add the bulgur to a small bowl and cover it with double the amount of water. Leave it to soak for 5 – 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Cut the pomegranate in half. Then hold one half in your hand, cut side down, above a sieve placed inside a bowl and use a wooden spoon to whack on the back of the pomegranate half, letting the seeds drop through your hand into the sieve. Repeat with the other half, then set the seeds aside and drink any leftover juice.

Peel the shallot, cut it in half and slice it thinly. Trim the parsley to remove some of the stems, then finely chop the rest. Pick the mint leaves and chop them finely as well. Add everything to a bowl along with 200g of the pomegranate seeds, the molasses, sumac, olive oil, bulgur and 1 tsp salt. Grate in the garlic and mix everything. Taste for acidity and squeeze in some lemon juice (if you have some spare) or simply add more molasses, then transfer to a bowl and serve.

Christmas Tabbouleh

This is not a traditional tabbouleh, but rather a tabbouleh-inspired salad to be served alongside the Pumpkin Kibbeh and Stuffed Grape Leaves for a festive Christmas spread. That way, it offers a bright and refreshing contrast to the heartier dishes.
Active Time 37 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Lebanese
Servings 4 - 8

Ingredients
  

  • 60 g fine bulgur (4 tbsp)
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 200 g parsley
  • 60 g mint
  • 1 large shallot
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 2 tsp sumac
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove

Instructions
 

  • Add the bulgur to a small bowl and cover it with double the amount of water. Leave it to soak for 5 - 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
    Cut the pomegranate in half. Then hold one half in your hand, cut side down, above a sieve placed inside a bowl and use a wooden spoon to whack on the back of the pomegranate half, letting the seeds drop through your hand into the sieve. Repeat with the other half, then set the seeds aside and drink any leftover juice.
    Peel the shallot, cut it in half and slice it thinly. Trim the parsley to remove some of the stems, then finely chop the rest. Pick the mint leaves and chop them finely as well. Add everything to a bowl along with 200g of the pomegranate seeds, the molasses, sumac, olive oil, bulgur and 1 tsp salt. Grate in the garlic and mix everything together. Taste for acidity and squeeze in some lemon juice (if you have some spare) or simply add more molasses, then transfer to a bowl and serve.
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