So I’m scrolling through food videos last Tuesday, right? And this Lebanese grandma pops up smashing parsley like there’s no tomorrow. Boom – tabbouleh craving hits me hard. Figured I’d whip up a batch AND dig into why this green stuff’s supposedly so healthy.
My Ingredient Hunt
First I hit the local market Wednesday morning. Grabbed:
- A massive bunch of curly parsley (dirt cheap!)
- Mint leaves that smelled like toothpaste
- Those tiny burgul grains that look like sand
- Ripe tomatoes leaking juice everywhere
- Bald green onions and lemons bigger than my fist
Pro tip: don’t buy pre-chopped parsley. Wilted garbage.
Knife Skills Disaster
Thursday after work I start chopping. Parsley takes FORTY minutes – my kitchen looked like a lawnmower exploded. Burgul soaked in lemon juice turns mushy when I didn’t drain it right. Tomato seeds made everything watery. First attempt looked like swamp salad.
Second Try Fixes
Friday I pat dry the tomatoes after de-seeding. Chop parsley stems super fine (surprisingly sweet!). Squeeze burgul dry with my hands like grandma showed in the video. Mix in olive oil first to coat everything before adding lemon. THIS time it crunched properly.
Health Stuff I Figured Out
After eating it three days straight:
- Parsley bomb: Felt like Popeye. Later read it packs vitamin K for blood and bones
- Burgul surprise: Those tiny grains swell in your gut. Kept me full till lunch next day
- Olive oil magic: My joints stopped cracking? Maybe good fats doing work
- Lemon zing: Woke up my digestion better than coffee somehow
Biggest win? Normally I crash after big meals. With tabbouleh side dish, energy stays level.
My Takeaway
Yeah it takes practice – my first batch could’ve fertilized tomatoes. But once you nail the chop/drain balance? Tastes fresh as hell AND doesn’t make you sleepy after eating. Totally stealing the Lebanese grandma burgul trick for other grain salads.
