As I write this recipe, I haven’t taken the time (or maybe I’ve just forgotten) to remove the black smudges under my eyes and I must look like a raccoon. What does it have to do with tabbouleh, you might ask? Well usually I’m pretty immune at peeling and chopping onions, but tonight….it made me cry so hard that I couldn’t see anymore what I was doing and I couldn’t help but rub my eyes like crazy.
No, there is no mascara in the tabbouleh, thank God! And also, raccoon are the cutest creatures on earth…from afar. But let’s talk about food for a minute. It’s summer here in Vancouver and all I want to eat is fresh and light food. This traditional Lebanese tabbouleh recipe with fresh mint and parsley is so so refreshing! Mission accomplished! To prepare this recipe, you need to be armed with strong eyes that don’t cry easily and patience. Yes, chopping parsley and mint leaves takes a lot of time….
Servings: 4 persons
Timing: 20 minutes + 15 minutes to chop the parsley and 15 minutes to chop the mint (try to beat me on that!)
Ingredients:
– 2 cups semolina
– 8 tomatoes
– 2 onions
– 1 bunch fresh mint
– 1 bunch fresh parsley
– the juice of 2 lemons
– olive oil
– salt & pepper
Directions:
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add salt.
When the water boils, remove from the heat. Add 2 soup spoons of olive oil. Pour the 2 cups of semolina into the hot water and let sit for a few minutes. When the semolina is ready, gently stir it with a fork and put in the fridge until the end of the process (we’re trying to prepare a very fresh tabbouleh here!).
Wash the tomatoes and remove the stem. Chop into small cubes.
Peel the onions and chop them as finely as possible.
Wash the fresh mint leaves. Remove the stem and chop them very finely (with kitchen scissors or a food chopper).
Wash the fresh parsley leaves and follow the same process as for the mint leaves.
In a large salad bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Season with lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper.
Now go on your balcony or in your garden and enjoy the sunset while savoring this delicious fresh tabbouleh!
Close-up:
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