Tabouli Salad

"Authentic" tabouli salad, a very popular Middle Eastern dish, has parsley as the main ingredient. This tabouli recipe is lighter on the parsley and heavier on the grain so it can serve as a main course dish. The texture of the dish will vary according to how coarse or fine the bulghur is.

• 1 c bulghur (cracked wheat)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 c water

• 2-4 tbsp or more olive oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 6-8 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 large cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 1/2-1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper to taste

• 3-4 tbsp lemon juice

Cook the bulghur with the water and salt for 15 minutes. Allow the bulghur to cool. While the bulghur is cooling, add the other ingredients to a salad bowl in the order listed, stirring after each one is added. (The spice ingredients are added first to permeate the oil.) Add the bulghur and stir, then add the lemon juice. Adjust seasonings, including amount of olive oil, to taste, and serve.