The Edgy Veggie: Keep cool with tabbouleh

Keep your cool with tabbouleh

Thursday, June 02, 2005

THE EDGY VEGGIE
BY ELLEN KANNER

The mercury's in the 90s, and that means it's tabbouleh time. Low in fat, high in fiber, plus so much fun to say.

Tabbouleh wakes up the palate with all the flavors of summer -- ripe-to-bursting tomatoes, bright parsley and mint, zingy lemon. But tabbouleh wouldn't be anything without bulgur.

Bulgur -- dried, partly cooked wheat kernels -- is the whole grain holding it all together. One serving ( ½ cup, cooked) boasts 4 grams of fiber, plus it's crazy full of calcium, potassium, lutein, vitamin K and beta carotene.

Bulgur doesn't require cooking, so the kitchen stays cool and so does the cook. Add hot water or broth and in half an hour, the grain absorbs the liquid, softens, expands and bulgurizes. It comes coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained, and is available in Middle Eastern, gourmet and natural food markets.

Homemade tabbouleh's a trouble-free treat to make, but if the heat has turned you torpid, go for a mix that gives you a head start by combining the bulgur and spices.

� Near East , the best-known brand, ($1.99, 5.25 ounces) makes the tamest tabbouleh, good for those who prize the plain. Their bulgur is coarse-grained, which I love, but their spice packet is lemonless.

I tripled the recommended single tablespoon of lemon juice, doubled the recommended 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, added ½ cup each chopped parsley and mint, but kept to the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. The result was a pleasing if low-key tabbouleh with 80 calories per serving and 270 milligrams sodium.

� Casbah ($1.99, 6 ounces) is parsley-packed and loaded with lemon. It's the only tabbouleh mix in which I could get away without adding fresh herbs. Casbah suggests adding an astonishing 1/3 cup olive oil. One tablespoon is plenty, plus an extra squeeze of lemon. It's coarse-grained (yay) but highest in calories (110) and sodium (390 milligrams) (boo).

� Fantastic Foods ($2.10, 6 ounces) earns its name with tabbouleh (70 calories, 280 milligrams sodium) that's vegan, kosher and made from organic wheat. The medium-grain bulgur has a nice, toasty taste. Prepared as packaged (OK, with a little boost of lemon juice), it's not too dry, not too moist -- a tabbouleh to make you proud.

Ellen Kanner writes biweekly about vegetarian concerns.

Full Article (free registration required)



	Keep your cool with tabbouleh Thursday, June 02, 2005 THE EDGY VEGGIE BY ELLEN KANNER The mercury's in the 90s, and that means it's tabbouleh time. Low in fat, high in fiber, plus so much fun to say. Tabbouleh wakes up the palate with all the flavors of summer -- ripe-to-bursting tomatoes, bright parsley and mint, zingy lemon. But tabbouleh wouldn't be anything without bulgur. Bulgur -- dried, partly cooked wheat kernels -- is the whole grain holding it all together. One serving ( ½ cup, cooked) boasts 4 grams of fiber, plus it's crazy full of calcium, potassium, lutein, vitamin K and beta carotene. Bulgur doesn't require cooking, so the kitchen stays cool and so does the cook. Add hot water or broth and in half an hour, the grain absorbs the liquid, softens, expands and bulgurizes. It comes coarse-grained, medium-grained and fine-grained, and is available in Middle Eastern, gourmet and natural food markets. Homemade tabbouleh's a trouble-free treat to make, but if the heat has turned you torpid, go for a mix that gives you a head start by combining the bulgur and spices. � Near East , the best-known brand, ($1.99, 5.25 ounces) makes the tamest tabbouleh, good for those who prize the plain. Their bulgur is coarse-grained, which I love, but their spice packet is lemonless. I tripled the recommended single tablespoon of lemon juice, doubled the recommended 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, added ½ cup each chopped parsley and mint, but kept to the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. The result was a pleasing if low-key tabbouleh with 80 calories per serving and 270 milligrams sodium. � Casbah ($1.99, 6 ounces) is parsley-packed and loaded with lemon. It's the only tabbouleh mix in which I could get away without adding fresh herbs. Casbah suggests adding an astonishing 1/3 cup olive oil. One tablespoon is plenty, plus an extra squeeze of lemon. It's coarse-grained (yay) but highest in calories (110) and sodium (390 milligrams) (boo). � Fantastic Foods ($2.10, 6 ounces) earns its name with tabbouleh (70 calories, 280 milligrams sodium) that's vegan, kosher and made from organic wheat. The medium-grain bulgur has a nice, toasty taste. Prepared as packaged (OK, with a little boost of lemon juice), it's not too dry, not too moist -- a tabbouleh to make you proud. Ellen Kanner writes biweekly about vegetarian concerns. Full Article (free registration required)
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