Ingredients
- 100 g quinoa, rinsed
- 2 large bunches of flat-leaf parsley (about 150 g), finely chopped
- A large bunch of mint, leaves finely chopped
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
- ½ cucumber, finely diced
- 8 radishes, finely diced
- 400 g tin chickpeas, drained (optional, to make it a main meal)
For the dressing
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp ground allspice or sumac
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the quinoa: simmer the quinoa in twice its volume of water for 15 minutes, until tender. Drain any extra water and spread out to cool.
- Chop: finely chop the herbs and vegetables. The secret to good tabbouleh is lots of herbs and very fine chopping.
- Dress: whisk the lemon juice, oil, allspice or sumac and seasoning.
- Combine: mix the quinoa, herbs, vegetables and chickpeas, if using, then pour over the dressing and toss well.
- Serve: serve straight away, or chill for an hour to let the flavours develop. Lovely with hummus, falafel or grilled fish.
Why it's good for you: In true Lebanese tabbouleh, the herbs are the main ingredient rather than a garnish. Parsley is surprisingly rich in vitamin C, vitamin K and folate, and mint has long been used to soothe digestion. Quinoa makes this a gluten-free, protein-rich salad.
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