This is a classic Middle Eastern dish that makes a lovely light dish in its own right, but is also a perfect accompaniment to a meze platter or some grilled fish or chicken. The true star of the show in tabbouleh are the herbs, don't skimp on them - LOADS of parsley and plenty of fresh mint too. A traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur wheat, but I've gone for the gluten free option here, and used quinoa instead, which works perfectly well; I actually prefer it to the traditional, sometimes 'chewy', bulgur wheat as it makes a much lighter salad. This salad is best made a few hours before you want to eat it, to allow the lemon to soften the herbs and for the quinoa to absorb all of the flavours.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
120g quinoa (cooked according to packet instructions)
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes
3 large ripe vine tomatoes, deseeded and cut into 1 cm cubes
3 spring onions, finely sliced
Juice of 2 lemons
80ml olive oil
2 large bunches fresh parsley, finely chopped (
1 large bunch fresh mint, thick stems removed, and finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Directions
Place the cubed tomatoes into a sieve over a bowl.
Sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes to allow any excess water to drain away.
Place the cooked quinoa into a large bowl.
Add the diced cucumber, sliced spring onions, lemon juice, parsley and mint and season well with sea salt and black pepper and mix well to combine.
Finally add the tomatoes and mix again.
Check for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper to suit taste.
For best results, cover the salad with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least an hour (the longer the better, even overnight) to allow the flavours to mingle and the herbs to soften.