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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 6, 2010 16:54:18 GMT
I certainly wouldn't turn down a tabbouleh that contained cucumber, but my preference is to leave it out.
What's odd about the Jewish Syrian version above is that it uses no fresh ingredients except for lemon juice and parsley.
I've never put cumin in mine, as it seems too strong a flavor for the dish. I do like to put in garlic and maybe a little bit of green chile. I've even used vinegar instead of lemon on occasion.
Is there any such thing as a hot tabbouleh, or it it by definition always a salad?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2010 17:13:58 GMT
I don't think there is a hot taboulé.
Anyway, I have bought my box of instant taboulé and will be posting the results this week. I would like to point out that there are no "dried" ingredients in it, contrary to popular belief.
(And no, I am not defending it compared to the real thing, just as I will not defend Kraft Mac & Cheese compared to the real thing -- just saying that it is extremely popular.)
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Post by joanne28 on Jun 7, 2010 18:57:40 GMT
I substitute fresh coriander (cilantro) for the mint, as I love fresh coriander. The rest of the recipe is similar to Bixa's first.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 7, 2010 19:43:54 GMT
It is good that way, Joanne! Here's an idea I found on the internet -- tabbouleh gazpacho. It's nothing more than a normal gazpacho, but with soaked bulgar added after the other ingredients have been blenderized. Also found this "recipe", called Warm Wheat Salad. Really, what the author did was to make a tabbouleh with a high proportion of bulgar, then heat it the next day, add goat feta, and call it warm wheat salad. Right now I'm percolating an idea for a tabbouleh that might incorporate some fresh ginger, a little grated carrot, raisins, and some chickpeas for taste and textural contrast.
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Post by joanne28 on Jun 7, 2010 19:51:44 GMT
What about swapping the chickpeas for almonds? Or maybe cashews?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 10, 2010 0:52:13 GMT
That would work!
Another thing that would be good in the classic tabbouleh would be some shrimp. It seems a natural with the herbs and lemon.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2010 3:06:26 GMT
please don't talk about shrimp...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2010 4:10:04 GMT
Among the multitude of taboulés available at the supermarket, there is shrimp taboulé, chicken taboulé, raisin taboulé...
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Post by happytraveller on Jun 10, 2010 6:43:53 GMT
Ooooh Casi, this Tabouleh looks absolutely mouth watering. I have become a big Tabouleh fan in the last year, it's the perfect summer food, I've just made one last sunday. The best I've ever had, I had in Dubai. Ooohhh... delicious !
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2010 11:18:53 GMT
Thanks HT,would love to hear more about the one in Dubai?? Did it have lots of parsley,mint,any other things like cucumber?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2010 19:59:30 GMT
Okay, I took these photos in a hypermarket in Luxembourg rather than France, but the residents of Luxembourg eat mostly like the French, and here is the refrigerated ready-to-eat industrial taboulé section. As you can see -- no Lebanese taboulé, only the Maghreb version.
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Post by onlymark on Jun 11, 2010 20:30:44 GMT
Remind me not to live in Luxembourg then. Or France for that matter. The only reason is that I'm biased. I can't think of it being anything other than the Lebanese way. Though I accept lesser versions with gargantuan amounts of that bulgar stuff may appeal to those with an uneducated palate and are unaware of the sublime original. These people need educating, poor souls.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2010 21:48:02 GMT
Actually, the places you don't want to live are the countries west of Egypt. They're the ones who invented the semolina version. They would not dream of using bulgar.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2010 22:49:10 GMT
Wow, I can't wrap my head around that either,or maybe, I am just not used to having it any other way than Lebanese. I will try to keep an open mind about it I guess. If I ran across it,I would try it but, not go looking for it.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 12, 2010 3:21:13 GMT
Hey ~~ if I were in the supermarket on the way home from work & saw that stuff, I might pick up a container of it. Then, a quick swing by the produce section for some fresh parsley, plus maybe a tomato & some green onions, and I'd know there'd be tabbouleh to eat almost as soon as I got home.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2010 5:40:19 GMT
The convenience and recycling factor is what appeals to people in France. Once you have a tub of it, you can drag it out for days at every meal as a starter (very important for people with finicky kids). Normally, to refresh each day, lemon juice is squeezed on, plus some fresh mint is added if people have it on hand. Nobody would add parsley.
Anyway, in Paris at least you can get all the Lebanese taboulé that you want since there are so many Lebanese delis, but it does really not suit local tastes. Also you can't recycle it, because it turns into nasty green sludge the next day.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 12, 2010 6:52:31 GMT
Hm. I wonder if the green sludge factor is from the parsley being chopped by machine. I always make BIG amounts of tabbouleh, and it's always held up well. Ditto nopal salad, which also has tomato in it and lots of cilantro.
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Post by joanne28 on Jun 12, 2010 19:13:34 GMT
I suspect you're right about the machine chopping, Bixa. My tabbouleh is good for several days.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 15, 2010 20:09:52 GMT
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Post by happytraveller on Jun 18, 2010 5:47:36 GMT
Thanks HT,would love to hear more about the one in Dubai?? Did it have lots of parsley,mint,any other things like cucumber? It had an enormous amount of parsley, the whole thing was very green. I don't think it had cucumber (I can't remember any) it was actually very basic, but it tasted amazingly good. Very simple but perfect.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2010 6:56:39 GMT
Everywhere from Egypt east eats the parsley/cilantro version. Everybody from Tunisia west eats the semolina version. We just need OnlyMark to jump in his car and visit Libya so that he can tell us which version they eat there.
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Post by onlymark on Jun 18, 2010 7:47:08 GMT
Assist me with the horrendous cost of the compulsory guides, cars and paperwork and I will.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 18, 2010 16:09:20 GMT
Everybody from Tunisia west eats the semolina version. Actually, semolina and bulgar are not exactly the same thing: forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=380857Maybe we could write a grant to get onlyMark to Libya. As far as I can tell, he'll really have to do some research to find tabbouleh there. I went through quite a few sites (including an inordinate number of 404s) about Libyan cooking, and tabbouleh was not to be found. If you're curious about Libyan cooking: www.temehu.com/Libyan-food.htm
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2010 16:43:47 GMT
I know they're not. That's why I keep referring to semolina (couscous) in the North African version. The Lebanese version uses bulgur.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2011 16:15:38 GMT
I have at last sacrificed my health to make some instant taboulé, which is what the majority of the unmonied French eat, especially if they have a lot of children and no time to cook. The supermarket deli version is too expensive for these families. Inside the box, there is just a tin and a cellophane bag of semolina. Put the semolina in a bowl. Pour the contents of the tin on top. Stir it all up and you get this sloppy mixture. You have just spent a grand total of 2 minutes of preparation time, but now you have to put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes for the liquid to soak away. It comes out looking like this. A lot of people will just "fluff" it a bit with the spoon and serve it like that. It actually doesn't taste terrible, and semolina is always good for filling the stomach, which is one of the points of this for the poor families of France and the Maghreb. However, if you have any personal integrity and just a tiny bit of disposable income, you will make a few additions. I chopped a piece of tomato, some fresh coriander (cilantro) and some fresh mint, then I mixed it all in. The juice of half a lemon will help to prevent scurvy. Frankly, it is not too shabby as a simple starter for a summer meal.
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Post by Don Cuevas on May 1, 2011 16:32:46 GMT
I shall put cucumber in my next taboule. (Along about June 25, when we are having a cookout for our anniversary and my vegetarian in-laws will be present.
(They are NICE, non-fanatical vegetarians, I want you to know.)
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Post by onlymark on May 1, 2011 19:33:33 GMT
As per my post at number 7 nearly a year a go - I still have the stuff and it's exactly the same as yours illustrated now. It may well still be in the cupboard when I move in July.
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Post by onlymark on Nov 29, 2011 11:20:28 GMT
There are a few types of tabbouleh and whatever you like is no problem. Debates abound as to the best or most authentic type. Here, in brief, is my type. Ingredients are – Parsley, lots. Bulgar wheat, not a lot, Lemon juice, enough, Fresh mint, about a bunch, Half or so of an onion (green if you can get it, I didn’t have one today) Salt to taste, Olive oil to taste Tomatoes, a bit, but I have two family members who don’t like it raw, so that’s given a miss. The parsley and mint look a bit sad but are perfectly serviceable for me. They are cut up finely, washed and dried as much as possible. The onion is cut up small. The bulgar has been soaked for half an hour in a mix of lemon juice and hot water whilst preparing the other stuff. It is all then thrown together and mixed. I had some of it for lunch with some homemade broccoli and cauliflower soup, a couple of homemade falafel left over from yesterday as well as the pita bread. Also what was left of the tahini/lemon juice from yesterday as well.
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Post by auntieannie on Nov 29, 2011 12:48:35 GMT
nice and healthy light lunch.
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Post by onlymark on Nov 29, 2011 12:56:55 GMT
Apart from the packet of HobNobs for afters.
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