EECH (Cracked-Wheat Salad)

Description

1 small onion, chopped medium fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup very fine bulgur*
3/4 cup green onions (scallions), chopped
2 cups chopped parsley
1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 sweet red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Garnish: slices of coarsely chopped chunks of peppers, green onions, tomatoes, parsley Sauté onion in olive oil until limp. Add 1/2 cup of boiling water and mix well. Place bulgur in a container that can be tightly covered and pour the onion mixture over it. Cover tightly and allow mixture to steam while you chop the vegetables, about 15 minutes. Uncover bulgur and add green onions, parsley, tomato, red pepper, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. (Mixture can be mild with no cayenne, or quite nippy, according to what you enjoy.) Toss to mix thoroughly and refrigerate. To serve, garnish the top with lots of peppers, green onions, tomatoes and parsley, all sliced or coarsely chopped. Serve chilled. This will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days. *Available in most supermarkets, at health-food stores or wherever Middle Eastern ingredients are sold.

(6 servings)