Tabbouleh-ish Summertime Salad

The UK is in the midst of a heat wave, and without air conditioning, I have not wanted to bake very much. No one wants to turn on the oven in 25ºC+ weather. So here's a recipe instead!

This summertime salad is inspired by tabbouleh, a traditional Lebanese salad made from bulgur wheat, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, parsley, and lemon juice. It's very quick and easy, and the only cooking required is to boil the bulgur/quinoa mix (although I did cook my radishes because they had sprouted...just use yours in a timely manner and you can eat them raw).

Mint and vegetables may sound a bit weird at first, but trust me, it's delicious. Especially with the lemon. And life is boring without trying new things. Just don't forget to add a pinch of salt or it will be bland.

Tabbouleh-ish Summer Salad
Serves 2
Time: 15 minutes

125g bulgur wheat and quinoa mix (you can alternatively just use bulgur or just use quinoa depending on your preference)
water
1 vegetable bullion cube
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 courgette
10 radishes
1 TBSP capers
1 lemon, juiced
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 bunch of mint
1/2 bunch of parsley
salt
pepper

Place the onion, crumbled vegetable bullion cube, and bulgur/quinoa mix in a saucepan and cover with water so there is 1/4 an inch of water above the wheat mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low until all the water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). Take off the heat and let rest.

Meanwhile, use a mandolin to finely slice the courgette and radishes and place in a bowl. If you don't have a mandolin, you can just finely slice it with a knife, but take care to get the vegetables quite thin. Add the capers, olive oil, and lemon juice and toss to cover the vegetables. Finely chop the mint and parsley and add to the courgettes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the courgette on top of the wheat/quinoa mixture.