Taboulé libanais

03 — Method

1. NOTE: REAL Lebanese tabbouleh has VERY LITTLE bulgur. It's mainly an HERB salad, unlike the French version, which is mostly bulgur or couscous.
2. Soak the 200 g (1¼ cups) FINE bulgur in the small bowl with 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) cold water for 15 minutes. DO NOT COOK IT. It should just swell and stay slightly crunchy.
3. Squeeze the soaked bulgur between your palms to remove as much water as possible. It should be slightly damp, not soggy.
4. Wash the large bunches of flat-leaf parsley and mint under cold water. Dry them COMPLETELY with paper towels or a salad spinner.
5. Pick only the tender leaves of parsley and mint. Chop VERY FINELY with a sharp knife (never in a food processor, which bruises and darkens them).
6. Wash and seed the 5 tomatoes and cut into very small 5 mm (¼ in) dice.
7. Slice the 5 scallions VERY THINLY, white and tender green parts.
8. In the large bowl, combine the herbs, diced tomatoes, scallions, squeezed bulgur, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, allspice blend (quatre-épices), salt and pepper. Toss. Scatter with pomegranate seeds.