Many of you may be familiar with the “tabuleh”, or “bulgur (cracked wheat) salad.” This is similar to that, but the tahini and sesame seeds in this recipe makes this dish very unique.

In Turkey, when talking about food, sometimes we also mention which part of Turkey that food belongs to. There is a big variety in how the same named food is prepared differently in many different cities. This one is from Mersin, my hometown and I know that they use peanuts instead of tahini & sesame seeds just 60 – 70 km away from Mersin. In Malatya, a big city in the southeast of Turkey, this name is used for a totally different dish.

Every summer I visited home I have been begging my relatives to make this for me, and I finally had the courage to try it after getting the recipe from my cousin Keriman. She, for the first time in her life, measured everything while making this dish so she could send me the recipe via email. The result was perfect!

I should not forget to add that some (for example my dad) likes to eat this before we add the water.

What you need:
for 7 people meal

1. 1.5 cups of fine bulgur wheat
2. 1 cup of warm water
3. 1 Tbs sesame seeds
4. 3Tbs tahini
5. 1/2 cup olive oil
6. 1 big onion, grated
7. 1/2 Tbs salt
8. 2 tsp cumin
9. 1 Tbs pepper paste (could be found in Middle East stores)
10. 1/2 bunch of mint and parsley
11. 4 mid size tomatoes, peeled and chopped finely
12. 4 scallions
13. 3 anaheim peppers
14. 2 pickling cucumber
15. 2 leaves of lettuce
16. 6 – 7 cups of cold water
17. Lemon juice, or pomegranate juice to taste

How to make it:

1. Put the bulgur in a deep dish and pour warm water over it. Let it soak
2. In a nonstick pan, fry sesame seeds finely and add tahini. When the mix becomes too thick, take it off the heat and add to the bulgur
3. While making sure all the ingredients are mixed well, add the grated onion, pepper paste, cumin, olive oil, salt and start kneading it. If necessary, add little amounts of water to help mixing
4. Add the peeled, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce leaves and mix again



5. Add the cold water, to get a very think cold soup consistency



6. Add lemon or pomegranate juice to taste

Bon apetit!