Instructions: Rinse the bulgar and soak in hot water for 20 minutes.

Drain well and roll it in a kitchen towel in order to get rid of excess moisture.

Place it in a bowl.

Chop the parsley by hand not too finely but not coarsely either it should have some texture in it and should not be a liquidized green mush.

Add it to the bowl with all the other ingredients and mix everything together.

Cover and chill lightly.

Half an hour before serving beat together the lemon juice with seasoning to taste.

Then add the oil and beat until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well in order to coat everything in it.

Taste and adjust the seasoning and add some more lemon juice if necessary.

Turn out on a platter to serve.

The predominant colour of the salad should be green.

When we have tabbouleh in the summer in Greece my teenage daughter Alexandra complains because she says it is like eating the undergrowth of the surrounding hillsides or the garden. . . and this is exactly what tabbouleh is. A platter of it is like a synthesis of a kitchen garden with its aromas its colours its different textures and its multilayered tastes. A precious Eastern tapestry which will revive you in the middle of a hot day like a panacea. Of course one can improvise even with this classic dish: other herbs could be added such as basil dill or chopped rocket leaves.

Serves 4

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