Tabbouleh

Ever since I was little, tabbouleh has been one of my favorite foods. My mum always makes it fresh from the original Moosewood Cookbook and I cannot get enough of it. Try as I can, I also do not like the store-bought stuff anywhere near as much. I recently had some of my mum's around Christmas-time, and then bought some of the Joseph's brand last week. The two do just not compare. So, today I set out to make my own tabbouleh. It turned out quite well, although I did not have the mint. I think that would have helped a little--you just need about 2 tablespoons of the chopped fresh stuff. Anyhow, I will definitely make my own tabbouleh from now on, as it is not too difficult. You have to be around the house as it involves steps with a lot of time in between, but it is really not complex at all.

Tabbouleh
1 cup dried barley
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon or so of crushed/minced garlic
1 large bunch parsley, minced
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 an onion, diced
1) Combine the barley, salt, and water. Let sit for at least twenty minutes. Then drain any excess water.
2) Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Let sit in the fridge for two hours.
3) Add the tomato, parsley, and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!