POMEGRANATE AND ALMOND TABBOULEH

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Pomegranate and Almond Tabbouleh image

Tabbouleh is a parsley and bulgur salad with roots in Middle Eastern cuisine. New Orleans chef Alon Shaya enlivens his version with herbs and spices such as fresh mint, garam masala, and allspice, in addition to almonds and bright pomegranate seeds.

Provided by Alon Shaya

Categories     side-dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 bunch parsley, flat or curly, about 3 cups loosely packed
1/4 cup sliced almonds (skin-on), oven-toasted at 350 F for 5 minutes
1 cup water
kosher salt
1/2 cup bulgur, crushed wheat
Small handful of mint leaves, about 1 tablespoon, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, fresh or frozen
1 lemon, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Steps:

  • Tabbouleh: Pull parsley leaves from stems; discard stems. Bunch the parsley leaves together, then coarsely chop. Add to a bowl, along with the almonds.
  • Add 1 cup water and a pinch of salt to a small pot and bring to a boil. Add bulgur, stir, and turn off heat. Cover the pot with a towel and set aside, for at least 10 minutes and up to 20, to "bloom" the bulgar: it will absorb the water and soften.
  • Pull mint leaves from stems. Stack the leaves, tightly roll, and thinly slice perpendicular to the roll to create thin ribbons. (This technique is called "chiffonade.") You should have about a tablespoon. Add mint to the bowl, followed by pomegranate seeds. Add the zest and juice of half a lemon to the bowl. Drizzle in olive oil and toss to coat. Dice onion and add to salad.
  • Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, add olive oil, juice from remaining half of lemon, garam masala, and allspice. Season with a big pinch of salt, then whisk to combine. Drizzle the vinaigrette into the salad and stir. Add ¼ cup softened bulgur to the salad. (Chef Shaya prefers more parsley than bulgur, but you can adjust to your liking.) Serve at room temperature.

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