Remarkably I couldn’t find tabbouleh (tabouli) at my local grocery store. Near East used to sell it and they had every other Near East product except that. I decided to improvise and work with the plain couscous I had in the cupboard.

Basically I just made the recipe the same way:

One and a half cups of dry couscous

Two cups boiling water

Salt for the water

Put the couscous in a bowl that can stand hot water – like a mixing bowl.

Pour the salted boiling water over the couscous and cover with plastic wrap. A few minutes later the couscous will have absorbed the water and you can fluff it with a fork.

Put it aside to cool to room temperature.

When the couscous is room temperature take another mixing bowl. To that second bowl add:

5 tablespoons of olive oil
3 lemons, juiced – fresh squeezed only
Lemon zest of one lemon
Garlic powder, salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

Whisk this salad dressing of a fashion together and into it add one sweet onion, medium-sized, diced.

Next add four medium to large tomatoes finely chopped, and two bunches of Italian flat leaf parsley chopped fine. Next toss this together and add to the couscous which is cooled.

Give it a taste to see if the seasoning needs any adjustment and cover-up and keep chilled until ready to serve. This salad is good for about two days- but it has to be kept refrigerated.

Enjoy!