This is an easy lunch salad as long as you plan ahead with the bulgur wheat! You can us a variety of proteins for this to make it a more substantial dish, or you can use it as a side. For 2 portions (main) or 4 portions (side):
- 100 gm Bulgur wheat
- 400ml water
Simmer 15 minutes covered, turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes. Meanwhile
- 1tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs tomato puree
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
Mix to make a dressing. When the bulgur is cooked, fluff it up. It should have absorbed all the water. Mix in the dressing and leave to cool.
- 2 dried figs or dates, chopped
- 2 spring onions chopped, or chives
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- handful of mint leaves, shredded
- handful of parsley, chopped
- Optional – 1/4 cucumber cubed
Mix up with the cooked bulgur to make a salad. If you are serving this as a main course salad, you can top with:
- fried halloumi (vegetarian) or…
- Smoked mackerel fillets, or…
- Falafel (vegan), or…
- Grilled chicken breast, or…
- beef mince kofta, or…
- Lamb meatballs
and a few fancy lettuce leaves alongside. Pittas, yoghurt, hummus, Lebanese pickles all start to make this look like a feast.