I am a huge fan of Tabbouleh! There is no shortage of good quality Middle Eastern food here in Berlin and a well made tabbouleh has long been a favourite of mine. And while Berlin might be famous for it’s Döner Kebabs and slightly bland, cheap take out’s that serve cheap and greasy falafel, it is actually very easy to also find the good quality places! Babel, a laid-back Lebanese restaurant that serves the most delicious hummus and falafel plates or halloumi wraps is my favourite, especially on a warm summer evening. There are also a few new places such as Fes that is highly instagrammable but serves a delicious selection of Turkish BBQ and mixed grill. One of my favourite things to make is a Hummus Plate topped with loads of griddled vegetables. I am also a huge fan of Persian cuisine and I always find that my Pistachio and Pomegranate Harissa Roast Chicken is best served with a Jewelled Rice. These are flavours that excite me and I could potentially run a blog on Middle Eastern cuisine alone!
Yet it is the classic tabbouleh that I always go back to. Served next to a load of grilled halloumi or some light and crispy falafel or mixed in with a Chicken Shawarma, you just can’t go wrong with it! It is wonderful to pack up for lunch and keeps in the fridge for a good few days. It is the parsley that is the key ingredient to this dish. Tabbouleh is of course a bulgur salad but actually many argue it is a parsley salad that is mixed with some grains and finely chopped vegetables. I like to serve tabbouleh with some beef Koftas that are soft and juicy and seasoned with just a little spice!
- 500g minced beef
- 25g bulgur wheat
- 1 tspn dried chilli flakes
- 1 tspn dried smoked paprika
- 1 tspn dried cumin
- 2 large bunches of fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 small bunch fresh mint (finely chopped)
- Half a cucumber (cut in half, soft middle removed and very finely diced)
- 1 tomato (cut in half, juice in the middle removed and very finely diced)
- 1 red onion (peeled and finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt/ pepper
- Olive oil
- For the Koftas: mix the beef, 1 clove garlic, chilli flakes, paprika and cumin in a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper and using your hands mix well. Then take some wooden skewers (that have been soaking in cold water for at least 1 hour) and take around 1 small handful of the meat, rolled up into a long patty and push the skewer through the middle. Repeat with the rest of the meat and leave in the fridge until needed.
- Cook the bulgur according to packet instructions. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Leave to cook for just 10 mins or so. Then add the cucumber, tomatoes, onions, nutmeg, lemon juice and rest of the garlic. Mix well. Then stir in the parsley and mint and season with a little salt and pepper. Mix well. Drizzle a little olive oil if needed.
- Heat a large griddle pan. Once hot add the Koftas, turning them over every 2-3 mins so they cook on each side. In total they will need around 8-10 mins.
- Plate up the tabbouleh and serve with the Koftas!
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