Drat! I meant for this to go out on Sunday, but I forgot to press "publish" . . .
I'm in Fresno for a quick Easter getaway to catch up with relatives and my parents, who are driving down from the Bay Area.
I thought it would be fitting to share my grandmother's tabouli (tabbouleh) recipe. Easter was a favorite holiday for her and is more important to many Armenians: many prefer to celebrate the rebirth over the birth of Christ, important culturally to a people who take pride in the fact that they were the first country to adopt Christianity as its religion. There are so many variations of this Levantine salad dish, which has its origins in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Most of my grandmother's cooking were from the mind, which worked with her heart in creating wholesome, flavorful dishes. The recipes followed her from Lebanon to Cub and to
Detroit, where she lived before her family moved to California. Sadly, we only have a few recipes. What I love about this one is that it's a product of her time; most of the ingredients are fresh, but she added a small can of tomato juice . . . which was always on hand as my grandparents owned a small grocery store on the corner of Jensen and Cedar in Calwa, just south of Fresno.
Special thanks to my aunt for sharing it: I am just copying it here for you. It's a great side dish that's a meal in itself . . . tasty, of course, with fresh spring lamb that is was often the centerpiece of an Armenian Easter meal.
Mama Kaye's Tabooula(there are a few ways to spell this!)
1 cup fine ground bulgur
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small can tomato juice
1/4 cup lemon juice (or to taste)
4-6 green onions chopped
1 small red onion chopped
1 small bunch chopped parsley
2 sticks celery chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
3 juicy ripe tomatoes chopped
1/2 chili pepper chopped finely (or cayenne pepper to taste)
Soak the bulgur in the liquids. Let it sit about 1-2 hours Add the rest of the ingredients.
Vegetables can vary by your taste preference.
