Curly parsley is the primary ingredient in traditional tabbouleh recipes.
Sweet quinoa tabbouleh is a quick, easy variation on the traditional Middle Eastern parsley salad recipe. Similar to couscous in its size and texture, quinoa makes an excellent substitute for bulgur in this dish. It is high in protein, phosphorous and magnesium, according to Health News. It can be assembled within a matter of minutes and makes a delicious stand-alone main dish, snack or side to accompany any meal.
Instructions
1. To remove the naturally occurring, bitter coating of saponin from quinoa, soak the grains in a bowl for 10 minutes, then rinse well. Stir the grains in the water with your fingers, filling and emptying the bowl several times until the water is no longer cloudy.
2. Raisins add sweetness to quinoa.
Add rinsed quinoa and raisins to a cooking pan and cover with water. The ratio of water to quinoa should be 2 to 1. Cooking the raisins with the quinoa distributes flavor and sweetness throughout the grain and plumps the raisins.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, or until quinoa germ has visibly separated from the seed. Set aside to cool.
4. Cucumbers and apples add crunch to tabbouleh salad.
Mix together the parsley, mint, cucumber and apple in a large serving bowl.
5. Add the lemon juice, zest, vinegar, olive oil and toasted cumin.
6. Add cooked and cooled quinoa-raisin mixture. Toss to incorporate. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to marry. Serve cold.
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