Tabuli also spelled as Tabbouleh or Tabouleh or Tabbouli is a Levantine salad traditionally made of bulgur, finely chopped parsley and mint, tomato and spring onion and seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil.
Tabuli is originally from the mountains of Syria and Lebanon. The main ingredient in this dish is the bulgur. It is an excellent cold salad. Tabuli is a Arabic word meaning ‘little spicy’. It is one of the most popular salads in the Middle East region. In the Arab world particularly in the greater Syrian region, it is usually served as part of the mezze and is served with romaine lettuce.
Traditionally the Lebanese use more parsley than bulgur wheat in their dish.
A Turkish variation of the Tabuli dish is known as Kisir while in Cyprus this dish was introduced by the Lebanese and is known as tambouli. In Lebanon, the wheat variety salamouni cultivated in the region around Hawran and in Mount Lebanon, Bekaa Valley and Baalbek was considered (in the mid-19th century) as particularly well suited for making bulgur. To the Arabs, edible herbs known as qaḍb, formed an essential part of their diet in the middle Ages, and dishes like tabbouleh attest to their continued popularity in Middle Eastern cuisine today. Like hummus, baba ghanouj, pita and other elements of Arab cuisine, tabbouleh has become a popular “American ethnic food”.
Bulgur being the main ingredient in Tabuli dish it is a cereal food made from several different wheat species most often from durum wheat. It is used most commonly in the Middle Eastern cuisine, Trukey, Greece, Armenia and Bulgaria. The Bulgur is usually sold parboiled and dried with the bran partially removed. It has a light nutty flavor and has high fiber content. Bulgur is traditionally used in cooking the pilafs, soups, bakery products or as stuffing. In breads it adds a whole grain component and its high nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous. In Indian cuisine, bulgur or daliya is also used as a cereal with milk and sugar. In the United States is often used as a side dish, much like pasta or rice. In meals, bulgur is often mistaken for rice because it can be prepared in a similar manner, although has a texture more like couscous than rice.
In Turkey, the bulgur is prepared (using pilavlik bulgur) as pilaf in chicken stock with or without sautéed noodles or cooked with tomatoes, onions and red pepper. Pomegranate molasses (nar eksisi in Turkish) which is more sour than sweet is commonly used in favor of lemon juice to add tartness. A variety of mezes and main dishes are also prepared with köftelik bulgur. It also forms the base of a soup, tarhana, which is made with yogurt to which hellim/halloumi has been added.
For preparing the Tabuli, firstly soak bulgur in sufficient amount of water for about 15 minutes. Drain it well. Put in all the other ingredients in a cooking bowl and add little oil. Chill this mixture in refrigerator. Tabuli is ready to be served. Decorate with lettuce leaves.
Tabuli is a very healthy and nutritious dish. Does not need any cooking time, simple and fast to make, punched with loads of protein, vitamins and minerals. If you are on a diet plan then do try this delectable salad. Click on the link for the detailed recipe:
Tabuli is one of the exceptional dishes from the Levantine cuisine. This cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant known in Arabic as the Biladash-Sham. This region shared many culinary traditions under the Ottoman Empire which continue to be influential today. It covers the modern states of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Northern Iraq, Southern Turkey and the Palestinian territories.
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of this cuisine is mezze including tabbouleh, hummus and baba ghanoush. Some of the most popular and delicious dishes from the Levantine cuisine are Shawarma, Baklava, Shaslik, Lentil soup, Tahini, Falafel and many more.
Compared to unenriched white rice, bulgur has high content fiber and protein, a lower glycemic index and higher levels of most vitamins and minerals.