Falafel Salad

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup tahini sesame seed paste
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
• 2 small 3/4 lb. tomatoes

Directions

1. For the dressing, crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, or give them a quick rough chop. Put the garlic in a blender with the tahini, water, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Blend until smooth, with the garlic broken down into tiny bits. Tuck the dressing into the refrigerator until you need it.
2. For the bulgur, add the dry bulgur to a sauce pot. Set it over medium heat and cook, stirring, with no water or oil, for 2 minutes, just to lightly toast it. Pour in 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, fluff the bulgur, then move it to the refrigerator, uncovered, to cool.
3. Wash the parsley and cilantro thoroughly in cool water, then shake off as much moisture as you can. Strip the leaves away from the stems, chop the leaves roughly, and add them to a bowl.
4. Cut the tomato into dice and add it to the bowl. Rinse the chickpeas, drain them well, and add them too. Add the cooled bulgur to the bowl, toss everything together, then pour on a generous amount of the tahini dressing and stir until the salad is evenly coated.