“The Americanized version of this dish focuses on cracked wheat and tomato,” writes Mark Bittman in How to Cook Everything, “but this more authentic Middle Eastern dish is little more than loads of herbs given substance. It’s delicious.” It’s also great fare for hot summer days when reheated leftovers threaten to make lunch bulky and oppressive. Though it sounds redundant to serve cracked wheat on bread, I enjoy tabbouleh as a filling for vegetarian sandwiches; a small layer of tabbouleh spread on a pita adds texture and flavor to the Americanized combo of hummus, tangy cucumber-yogurt sauce, and sliced avocado and tomato. The following recipe is Bittman’s, though when I make tabbouleh I just throw everything together until it looks and tastes right.

Recipe

1/2 cup fine-grind (Number One) or medium-grind (Number Two) bulgur
2 cups minced fresh parsley leaves
1 cup minced fresh mint leaves
2 cups cored, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
1 small red or white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Soak the bulgur in water to cover until tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out as much of the water as possible.

2. Combine the bulgur with the parsley, mint, tomatoes, and onion; whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and toss with the salad. Season with salt and pepper and taste; adjust seasoning if necessary. You can refrigerate this for a few hours if you like, but let it warm up a bit before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: I use less olive oil and mint than Bittman, partially because I steal mint leaves from the neighbor’s yard and I don’t want my thievery to be conspicuous.