quinoa tabbouleh salad

I adore Lebanese tabbouleh.

There is this deep seeded love for it & an unmistakable craving.

Of course, tabbouleh traditionally has bulgur-wheat in it which means it's been taken off of the menu for me. Not that I care really as it would seem that no one out here knows how to actually make it the way I know it to be.

Any time I would order tabbouleh in the past, I was brought this huge bowl of bulgur-wheat that was maybe sprinkled with a few pieces of parsley & god only knows what other imaginative ingredient the chef had decided to add.

Wrong.

Just, wrong.

Lebanese Tabbouleh is all about the herbs. Lots & lots of fresh parsley, a little bit of mint, tomatoes & lemon. Done right, you should be able to spoon heaping tablespoons of the stuff into a crispy leaf of lettuce, wrap it up & eat it just like that. This thing they serve here & call tabbouleh is just a pathetic & lazy version of what the dish is really supposed to be (in my opinion). I for one, just wont stand for it.

The solution to that? Make my own. Of course, I've gone & substituted the bulgur for quinoa. Not a bad substitution actually, it gives a nice subtle flavor.

On a different note, I think I once saw a food show on the travel channel where the host was trying to tell me (yes, the TV speaks to me) that in Lebanon (where the salad originated), the women were asked to make tabbouleh for the mother of their potential groom. How fine a woman was able to chop the parsley was supposed to reflect on what type of wife she would make. (I have not done any research to verify this, don't take my word for it.)

If this is true, I'd make a terrible wife. I had big ol' chunks of leaves all over the place. Not that I care, I ate the whole bowl of it as is within minutes of making it.

Seriously, it's that good.

Ingredients: - 450g tomatoes - 1/2 tsp salt - 30g quinoa - 50g spring onions - 450g parsley (becomes 200 once stems are removed) - 2g mint leaves - 1/4 tsp white pepper - 1/4 tsp cinnamon - 1/2 tsp allspice - 2 tbs lemon juice - 125ml olive oil - 1 tbs sesame seeds - romaine lettuce leaves  & lemon wedges for decoration

Directions: 1. finely dice the tomatoes with a sharp knife, transfer them into a strainer & sprinkle them with the salt. Let them sit for 20 minutes. Discard any excess liquid after the allotted time & transfer the tomatoes into a large bowl. 2. cook your quinoa according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, allow to cook & then add to the bowl with the tomatoes. 3. finely chop the spring onion, parsley & mint. Make it as thin as you can possibly get it. Once chopped, add to the bowl with the quinoa & tomatoes. 4. add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl (except the lettuce) & give it a good & thorough mix. 5. choose the bowl you wish to serve it in. Line the bowl with the lettuce leaves & then spoon the tabbouleh on top. Add your lemon wedges to the side.

Tips: **** sprinkling tomatoes with salt will help to draw out any excess liquid in them.

By the way...

If you're interested in the type of stuff I keep stocked in my kitchen or the equipment that I use regularly... here's a pretty comprehensive list.

Tools/ Equipment/ Machinery/ Ingredients:

Machinery:

Electric Scale - Etekcity - http://amzn.to/2xkKpQk

Hand Mixer - Kenwood - http://amzn.to/2xkjowh

Stand Mixer - Kenwood - http://amzn.to/2yqXPiH

Candy Thermometer - Etekcity - http://amzn.to/2xklw7k

Food Processor - Cuisinart - http://amzn.to/2xkkZqK

Blender - Kenwood - http://amzn.to/2xXQgwU

Tools:

Silicone Spatula - Zyliss - http://amzn.to/2y3Srkw

Chef's Knife 8" - Miyabi - http://amzn.to/2fUtyRK

Pots & Pans:

Cast Iron Skillet 12" - Lodge - http://amzn.to/2fMHb1x Cast Iron Pot 5.5 Quart - La Cocotte Staub - http://amzn.to/2fUqxAG

Cast Iron Grill Skillet 10.5" - Lodge - http://amzn.to/2z2GPwi

Cake tins & Pie Plates:

Bunt Pan - Nordic Ware - http://amzn.to/2xjGB1N

Square Cake Tin - Patisse - http://amzn.to/2xkn5Ce

Springform cake tin 22cm (9”) - Farberware - http://amzn.to/2xkdQ4T

Ceramic Pie Plate- Emile Henry - http://amzn.to/2gex5qR

Cupcake Tin - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2xkp4GG

Tart Tin Loose Bottom 9.5” - Patisse - http://amzn.to/2xje3u2

Decorating Equipment:

Non-Slip Pipping Bags - Pastry Gear - http://amzn.to/2fLxAZ0

Pipping Tips - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2yJVPy1

Food Gels - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2kpOCky

Fondant Smoother - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2xkyZRl

Fondant Modelling Tools - Happisland - http://amzn.to/2xjOWSV Fondant Rolling Pin - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2xkbLe5

Fondant Rolling Mat - The Mat - http://amzn.to/2y2bg76

Ingredients:

Active Dry Yeast - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2gcC2R4

Almond Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xkP3xI

Arrow root - Bob’s Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2ycT0WF

Baking Powder - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xkJz5U

Bicarbonate of Soda - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2yL7Lj4

Brown Rice Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2z1MUt1

Buckwheat Flour - Anthony’s Organic - http://amzn.to/2xjRS6T

Cocoa Powder - Valrhona - https://amzn.to/2ouIwlr Coconut Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xkAHNX

Flaxseed Meel - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2ybK0Rm

Millet flour - Bob’s Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2iBZqYw

Oat Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2fNUuyZ

Potato Starch - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2yKpYgH

Quinoa Flour - Amisa Organic - https://amzn.to/2oyWVg9 Sorghum Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2yClSf5 Sweet White Rice Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2y2xmXK

Tapioca Starch - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xjv879

Vanilla Extract Organic - Simply Organic - http://amzn.to/2xXdt2e

Vanilla Beans - Vanilla Products - http://amzn.to/2yLMqWQ

White Flour GF - Dove's Farm - http://amzn.to/2z1b5I1​

Xanthan Gum - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2zoYxuC

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