Tabouli Time

With the unseasonably warm weather we've been having this week in the District, cooking (especially warm foods) has been the furthest thing from my mind. Instead, aside from my taking my new mixer for a test run, I have found myself spending more time outside than in the kitchen. Although I love winter more than most people, this is the time of year I love having a dog and my neighborhood. The dog park has been filled with lots of friends for Bax (some she likes and some she doesn't)...and sometimes I think I like going there more than she does. 


Today I decided to break my no-cooking pattern and try my hand at something I've been craving for a while now, tabouli. When the weather gets warm it becomes nearly impossible for me to eat warm foods, ever. I literally don't eat soup from about mid-April until early October. Yes, it's true, I have weird food tendencies. With temperatures breaching 80, my craving for a cold bowl of tabouli was at an all time high. I had two choices. I could take the easy way out and stop at one of my favorite restaurants on the way home (for the record, Zorba's is way too close to the metro) for some take out tabouli, or I could toughen up and finally try to make it myself. Feeling ambitious, I went with the latter. Thanks to google, I found a super easy recipe that only required one thing that I didn't already have in the home. With wheat bulger in tow, I took the plunge. Not only was it at least as good as my beloved Zorba's, but it made a ton. As we know, I'm still new to this whole cooking thing and having leftovers that allow me to avoid cooking still makes me happy. I'm pretty much set for the rest of the week...


Homemade Tabouli
Original recipe found here

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Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup Bulgar Wheat
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1-3 tomatoes, diced 
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced (mother got me hooked on English cucumbers so I always have those on hand which eliminated the seed issue)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons sea salt

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgar wheat and cover; let stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed
2. Chop vegetables and cilantro (this was fun for me because I got to use the new peeler I got from sister)
3. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the wheat bulgar
4. Drizzle the oil, lemon juice, and sprinkle the salt over the wheat mixture and mix well. Chill (I sped this up by sticking a small portion in the freezer for about 5 minutes)
5. Serve with pita and enjoy!