So I know that most people say “my grandmother is the best cook ever”…but really my grandmother (“Sitty”, as we call her) is the best cook ever. Having been married for 70 years and raised three kids – cooking every single meal – really had its advantages. I think it’s fair to say that practice made her perfect.
Side note – can we just take a moment to acknowledge a marriage of SEVENTY YEARS!? That type of longevity is practically unheard of these days. Truly remarkable to say the least.
My grandparents immigrated to the United States from the Middle East so growing up, all of our holidays were filled with the most delicious food from their hometowns. Falafel, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, tabouleh & baklava to name a few. I’ve been cooking with my grandmother at pretty much every holiday, family get together, Sunday night dinner, and more for as long as I can remember. I was always the one who wanted to get my hands dirty and learn all that she had to offer! Cooking has always been a passion of mine, even from a very young age. Lucky for me (and unfortunately for you), most of our family “recipes” don’t have actual recipes. They’re a list of ingredients…some measured, but most are “to taste”. I made this tabouleh last weekend for an 11 person dinner party and it was a hit. I tried my best to come up with measurements but really it’s just mix & add until it tastes good.
My grandma has always said that a true chef doesn’t need to follow a recipe because the best dishes come from the heart.
Like I said, she’s the best….
Sitty's Tabouleh
Ingredients
- 2 heads parsley chopped finely (leaves only, no stems)
- 1 head mint chopped finely (leaves only, no stems)
- 3 persian cucumbers diced small, no seeds
- 4 tomatoes (I prefer off the vine, not grape) diced small, no seeds
- 1 bunch green onion diced small, mainly green part
- 1 cup bulgur (soaked overnight) you can also sub 1C cooked quinoa (taste and texture identical)
- extra virgin olive oil to taste
- lemon juice to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Finely dice all of the veggies and mix together.
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Mix in EVOO, lemon juice & salt. This part is to taste...I usually start with a few circles of EVOO & 1/2 lemon and go from there. You don’t want it dry, but don't over dress as it will get juicier as it sets
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Let it sit at least 2 hours (overnight is best). Re-taste the dressing and will likely need to add some more.
Recipe Notes
We like to serve this as a side dish to any grilled meat, with some freshly toasted pita bread and hummus.
Let me know if you make this – I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
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