Tabbouleh, also spelled tabouleh or tabbouleh, is one of the best-known dishes of the gastronomy of the Mediterranean Levant, but in each place it has its own particularities. In this post we explain, in broad strokes, what tabbouleh is like in Jordan and what makes it so special to taste it during your trip to the country.
Geographical distribution of the tabbouleh
As we said, tabbouleh is a typical dish of the Mediterranean Levant and also of Arab gastronomy in general. In fact, it is believed that it emerged in Lebanon and it is in that country that it is considered a national dish, with its own day on the calendar: the first Saturday of July, a very appropriate date for the dish, as we will see.
But in addition to Lebanon, it can be found in other countries such as Syria or Egypt, as well as in other non-Arab countries in the region, such as Turkey and Israel, and even Cyprus and Armenia. And of course, it is possible to find tabbouleh in Jordan without great effort.
What is tabbouleh and what does it have?
Tabbouleh is the quintessential Arabic salad , and that is precisely what this word means in that language. Its list of ingredients can be considered a real catch-all, as many and varied ingredients are used. The ingredient that can be considered basic is flat-leaf parsley, responsible for giving it its characteristic green color. And next to it, the other great ingredient that gives it consistency is bulgur. In fact, in this other post on our blog we already mentioned tabbouleh for that reason.
Beyond these two great ingredients, it can have many others. For example, in the recipe considered ‘original’, that is, the Lebanese one, fresh mint and white onion are usually not missing. It also usually has tomato, although this was added later, since the origin of this vegetable is American, from the Andes region.
As a dressing, tabbouleh is usually well washed down with olive oil, salt and lemon juice, which gives it a flavor and aroma of great character. For those who have too strong a taste, you can opt for a milder version, with pomegranate molasses, a very popular dressing in Middle Eastern cuisines.
Tabbouleh in Jordan
The tabbouleh you find in Jordan may be slightly different from the one described above. This is mainly due to the higher proportion of bulgur in the recipe. It seems that this choice was, in the past, a way to make the dish cheaper, since parsley is significantly more expensive than these grains of wheat.
Another ingredient that you may find on your plate is cucumber, cut into pieces, something very common in Palestinian gastronomy. Pepper is another vegetable that is often added to the composition. And the same goes for the olives, which is another Mediterranean nod to the dish.
As for the time of year, tabbouleh is usually served in Jordan in the hottest season, as it is a refreshing dish that is not served hot. In fact, the only ingredient that needs to be prepared hot is bulgur, but it is added to the dish at room temperature.
Finally, we cannot fail to mention the most typical and traditional way of eating tabbouleh: without using a fork or any other cutlery.
But that doesn’t mean you have to pinch your fingers to eat: lettuce leaves or even grape leaves are used as a base, to bring it all to your mouth.
Sometimes, tabbouleh is served in restaurants as a mezze or starter, either on small plates or on its corresponding lettuce leaf or vine.
