I have seen a million bastardised versions of this simple salad which hails from the part of the Middle East that covers Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. The most common issue is the proportions – far too many cooks do not realise that parsley is the star of the show here, not the bulgar, and definitely not couscous (to avoid any confusion, after each ingredient I've added in parenthesis what the chopped weight should be as it goes into the salad). Another biggie is the way the herbs are chopped, and in this instance I'm afraid I must side with the purists and shun the food processor. Chopping the leaves with a razor-sharp, heavy knife, although a lot of work, prevents bruising and gives the parsley its light and dry texture. Despite the hard labour involved, I urge you to make this refreshing summer salad – I promise you, you'll never go back to buying it in a supermarket tub again. Serves four, generously.
90g fine bulgar wheat
4 medium tomatoes, ripe but still firm (600g)
2 medium shallots (60g)
4 large bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley (160g)
2 bunches fresh mint (30g)
1 tsp ground allspice
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
120ml top-quality olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Put the bulgar in a fine sieve and put under the cold tap until the water runs clear and most of the starch has been removed. Transfer to a bowl.
Cut the tomatoes into 0.5cm dice (a small serrated knife is the best tool for this job) and add to the bowl, along with any juices. Chop the shallots as fine as you can and add to the bowl.
Take a few stalks of parsley and pack them together tightly. Use a large, very sharp knife to trim off the end of the stalks, then chop the remaining stems and leaves as finely as possible and no wider than 1mm. (If you can't achieve that first go, go over the chopped parsley again, this time with the heel of the blade.) Add the parsley to the bowl.
Pick the mint leaves, pack a few together tightly, chop as finely as the parsley and add to the bowl. Finally stir in the allspice, lemon juice to taste, olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve at room temperature.