IT'S TABOULIE TIME.

ANNOUNCER: "JULIE TABOULIE'S LEBANESE KITCHEN" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY... MAN: ♪ DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ DO YOUR THING, DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ SYRACUSE, DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ DO YOUR THING, DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ SYRACUSE, DO YOUR THING ♪ [MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC PLAYING] TART, TANGY, AND TASTY.

IT'S NONE OTHER THAN MY NAMESAKE SIGNATURE SALAD-- TASTE-BUD-TANTALIZING TABOULIE.

THIS FRESH AND FINELY CHOPPED SIGNATURE, SIGNIFICANT, AND SPECIAL SALAD CONSISTS OF FRESH PARSLEY, SPEARMINT, SCALLIONS, VINE-RIPE RUBY RED TOMATOES, AND FINE BULGUR WHEAT, WHICH COMBINE TOGETHER IN A TIDAL WAVE OF FRESH LEMON JUICE AND EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SPRINKLED WITH SEA SALT, MAKING FOR A LUSCIOUS AND LIGHT LEBANESE SALAD THAT IS INCREDIBLY REFRESHING.

ORIGINATING IN THE MOUNTAINS OF MOUNT LEBANON, IT IS KNOWN AS THE QUEEN SALATA THROUGHOUT THE LAND.

THIS SPECIAL SALAD TYPICALLY ACCOMPANIES MOST LEBANESE DISHES AND IS SERVED AS PART OF THE MEZZE OR ALONGSIDE AN ARRAY OF MAIN COURSES, MAKING FOR MOUTHWATERING AND MEMORABLE MIDDLE EASTERN MEALS.

IT'S TART, IT'S TANGY, IT'S TASTY, IT'S TABOULIE.

IT'S TABOULIE TIME!

IT'S A SALAD, A NICKNAME, AND A STAGE NAME/BRAND NAME BY YOURS TRULY--JULIE TABOULIE.

AND TODAY IS ALL ABOUT TABOULIE AND TRADITIONS AS WELL.

AND TABOULIE IS BASICALLY KNOWN AS THE QUEEN SALATA, OR SALAD, THROUGHOUT THE LAND OF LEBANON AND THE MIDDLE EAST.

IT'S THIS OVERLY REFRESHING, FRESH HERB, VINE-RIPE RUBY RED TOMATOES OR GARDEN TOMATOES WITH SPRINKLES OF BULGUR WHEAT-- IN ARABIC, WE SAY... [SPEAKS ARABIC WORD]-- AND IT'S TOSSED IN A FRESH LEMON JUICE, OLIVE OIL, AND SEA SALT DRESSING, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE MOST TASTIEST SALADS THAT YOU'LL COME ACROSS IN YOUR LIFE.

AND WITH A NAME LIKE JULIE TABOULIE, YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT MINE IS ONE OF THE BEST THAT YOU'LL COME ABOUT AS WELL.

SO THE FIRST THING THAT I DID FOR OUR TABOULIE IS THAT I HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL BUNCHES OF FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY.

I HAVE ABOUT 3 BUNCHES FOR THIS RECIPE.

AND THEN I ALSO HAVE ABOUT 6 SCALLIONS, ALSO KNOWN AS GREEN ONIONS, AND I HAVE SOME SPEARMINT, WHICH WE CALL NA'NA.

THEY'RE WASHED, THEY'RE RINSED, AND THEY'RE PARTIALLY DRIED, AND WE'RE FIRST GONNA GET STARTED ON OUR BULGUR WHEAT.

AND BECAUSE WE'RE USING THE FINE CUT, THERE'S NO NEED TO ACTUALLY BOIL THE BULGUR WHEAT.

WE'RE JUST GONNA SIMPLY PUT IT IN SOME NICE WATER.

JUST TAP WATER IS FINE.

AND THAT'S IT.

ALSO, IF YOU ARE CELIAC- OR GLUTEN-SENSITIVE OR JUST SORT OF TRYING TO LIVE A GLUTEN-FREE LIFE LATELY, THEN YOU CAN CERTAINLY SUBSTITUTE QUINOA, WHICH IS A GLUTEN-FREE GRAIN, FOR THE, UH, BULGUR WHEAT.

SO WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH SOME BEAUTIFUL VINE-RIPE RUBY RED TOMATOES ON THE VINE, WHICH ARE MY TOMATOES OF CHOICE, AS YOU CAN SEE THESE BEAUTIES RIGHT HERE.

SO THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE JUST GONNA SORT OF CUT OUT THE LITTLE CORE OF THE TOMATOES IN EACH ONE OF THESE.

AND THE CUT IS VERY KEY IN MAKING TABOULIE, BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, IT'S A FINELY CHOPPED SALAD.

WE KIND OF WANT ALL THESE LITTLE BITE-SIZE PIECES GOING THROUGH, AND IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU TOSS IT INTO THE TABOULIE BOWL WITH ALL OF THE OTHER INGREDIENTS.

ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA SCOOP UP AS MUCH OF THESE JUICES AS I CAN, 'CAUSE THE JUICES ACTUALLY MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE, 'CAUSE THEY BLEND REALLY BEAUTIFULLY WITH THE FRESH LEMON JUICE AND THE OLIVE OIL AND THE SEA SALT TO CREATE THAT TASTY TABOULIE DRESSING.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW WE'VE CLEANED OUR BOARD.

WE'RE GONNA START WITH OUR SCALLIONS FIRST, AND THESE ARE JUST BEAUTIFUL.

SO WE'RE JUST GONNA SIMPLY TRIM THE ENDS, STEMS, JUST LIKE SO, AND THEN WE'RE JUST GONNA RUN OUR SHARP PARING KNIFE RIGHT THROUGH.

BY BUNCHING THEM TOGETHER, IT REALLY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, BY THE WAY, IN THE CUTS AS WELL BEING UNIFORM.

LOOK AT THAT.

SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL THAT IS?

AND NOW WE'RE GONNA GO FOR OUR FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY.

AS I MENTIONED, I'M USING ABOUT 3 BUNCHES, AND THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD SIZE.

THEY'RE NOT TOO SMALL AND THEY'RE NOT TOO BIG.

JUST GONNA SLICE THOSE OFF JUST LIKE SO.

TRY TO KEEP IT NICELY, TIGHTLY BUNCHED WITH THE ONE HAND, AND WE'RE GONNA START AT THE ENDS, AT THOSE TENDER, THIN STEMS, AND WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THE LEAVES.

SEE HOW FINELY THAT I'M SORT OF RUNNING MY KNIFE THROUGH.

AND I'M--WITH MY OTHER HAND, I'M HOLDING ALL OF THE PARSLEY TOGETHER.

SO THERE'S NO NEED, ACTUALLY, TO KEEP ON, LIKE, RUNNING YOUR KNIFE THROUGH AND CHOPPING AND CHOPPING AND CHOPPING, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BRUISE THE PARSLEY LEAVES, EITHER, WHICH YOU COULD DEFINITELY DO IF YOU OVERCHOP.

WHO NEEDS A FOOD PROCESSOR FOR THIS?

LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS, RIGHT?

AND BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE PRE-WASHED IT AND WE LET IT DRY A LITTLE BIT SO THE LEAVES AREN'T WET, IT'S NOT SOAKED AND SOGGY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, OK?

AND I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE REASON WHY I SORT OF LAYER IT WITH THE TOMATOES ON THE BOTTOM AND THEN THE SCALLIONS IS THAT YOU CAN DEFINITELY MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME DOING IT THIS WAY.

IF YOU WERE TO REVERSE IT, THEN THE TOMATOES WOULD MAKE THE, UH, HERBS REALLY SOGGY.

OK.

SO OUR LAST SORT OF FRESH HERB AND KEY HERB IN TABOULIE IS OUR FRESH SPEARMINT, AND IT IS SPEARMINT.

IT'S NOT PEPPERMINT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF MINT.

IN ARABIC, WE CALL IT NA'NA.

I'M JUST GONNA TAKE THEM OFF THEIR SMALL STEMS LIKE I'M DOING RIGHT NOW AND I'M GONNA JUST SET THEM ON TOP OF THE TABOULIE BOWL.

WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO BE TOSSING THE TABOULIE RIGHT BEFORE WE ENJOY IT WITH MY UNCLE DOMINIC TODAY.

AND BEFORE WE GET TO MAKING OUR LAHEM MISHWEE, OUR LUSCIOUS LAMB KABOBS, AND OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES IN TOUM SAUCE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LITTLE LOOK AT THE TOMATOES WITH MAMA IN THE GARDEN.

ALTHOUGH ALL OF OUR FRESH HERBS AND VEGETABLES MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE TABOULIE, FOR ME, MAKING THE TASTIEST TABOULIE IS ALL ABOUT THE TOMATO.

RIGHT, MAMA?

RIGHT.

SO HERE WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOMATOES THAT ARE RIGHT FROM YOUR GARDEN.

SO TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT WHAT YOU PLANTED THIS YEAR.

WELL, OF COURSE WE PLANT THE CHERRY TOMATOES.

ALWAYS, UH, GOOD.

YEAH.

THE SAN MARZANO TOMATOES.

YES.

WE HAVE THE BRANDYWINE, REGULAR, LIKE, BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES.

TOMATOES ON THE VINE...

RIGHT.

WHICH ARE MY FAVORITE.

AND THEY ALL TASTE GOOD, LONG AS THEY'RE FRESH FROM THE GARDEN.

YEAH.

SO MY PICK FOR TABOULIE, WHICH I ALWAYS LIKE TO GO FOR, IS A NICE, FRESH, VINE-RIPE, RUBY RED TOMATO ON THE VINE.

BUT, UM, AS MAMA WAS SAYING, REALLY, ANY... LONG AS IT'S FRESH OUT OF THE GARDEN, TASTES DELICIOUS IN THE TABOULIE.

SO IF THEY'RE IN SEASON AND THEY'RE IN THE GARDEN, UM, ANY, REALLY, TOMATO THAT YOU LIKE CAN GO IN THE TABOULIE DISH, AND WHY I THINK THE TOMATOES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE, AND YOU TELL ME, MAMA, AS WELL, BUT THE TOMATO JUICES AND THE TOMATOES THEMSELVES ARE REALLY WHAT GIVE THE TABOULIE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT FLAVOR, THE JUICES.

THE JUICE THAT MIX WITH THE LEMON AND THE OLIVE OIL THAT MAKES IT TASTE SO GOOD.

YEAH.

I AGREE.

FOR ME AND MY TABOULIE AND FOR MAMA'S TABOULIE AND FOR YOUR TABOULIE, GO FOR THE TASTIEST TOMATO THAT YOU CAN FIND.

[LAUGHS] RIGHT.

CORRECT.

I LOVE THAT I WAS ABLE TO SHARE ALL OF THE REASONS WHY THE TOMATOES ARE SO KEY IN MAKING THE TASTIEST TABOULIE AND, OF COURSE, WITH MAMA IN HER GARDEN.

SO WHILE WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT TOMATOES, I ACTUALLY STARTED TO GET A HEAD START ON OUR LUSCIOUS LAHEM MISHWEE, OUR LAMB KABOBS, AND THE WORD "LAHEM" LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO "LAMB," AND "MISHWEE" IS "GRILLED."

UM, NOW, I'M OBVIOUSLY USING THE TRADITIONAL MEAT OF CHOICE IN LEBANON AND THE MIDDLE EAST, WHICH IS LAMB, BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY USE UH, BEEF IF YOU LIKE, LIKE SIRLOIN WOULD BE REALLY NICE FOR THESE KABOBS AS WELL.

AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE THEM IN THESE BEAUTIFUL, SORT OF 2-INCH TO 3-INCH-SIZE CUBES OF MEAT, AND YOU CAN DO THEM YOURSELF AT HOME IF YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD, UH, BUTCHER AND KNIFE SKILLS, OR YOU CAN HAVE YOUR BUTCHER DO THEM FOR YOU.

AND I HAVE THEM MARINATED, BASICALLY, IN SOME OLIVE OIL, SEA SALT, AND PEPPER, AND THAT'S IT.

REALLY SIMPLE.

AND FOR THE ONIONS, I BASICALLY WEDGED UP SOME BEAUTIFUL SPANISH ONIONS, SOME--OR YELLOW ONIONS.

I USED, UH, VIDALIA ONIONS, WHICH HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SWEETNESS TO THEM, YOU KNOW.

THEY'RE REALLY NICE.

AND ALSO SOME RED ONIONS.

AND WITH THE PEPPERS, I HAVE YELLOW, ORANGE, AND RED BELL PEPPERS.

SO IT'S REALLY COLORFUL, TOO.

I MEAN, TRADITIONALLY, GROWING UP, UH, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS JUST REMEMBER THE LAMB WITH THE ONIONS.

THAT WAS HOW MY FAMILY ALWAYS MADE IT AND THAT'S HOW I ALWAYS SAW IT AT OUR LEBANESE TABLE, UM, BUT I DECIDED TO KIND OF COLOR IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLAVOR WITH THE, UM, PEPPERS.

SO NOW I'M JUST OILING UP OUR GRILL PAN THAT WE HAVE NICE AND HOT OVER OUR OPEN FLAMES ON OUR COOK TOP HERE.

I'M JUST BRUSHING THEM WITH A LITTLE BIT OF OLIVE OIL TO ENSURE THAT OUR LAMB KABOBS DO NOT STICK TO THE GRILL.

HA HA!

OK.

SO NOW WE'RE JUST GONNA GET THESE ON.

LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY CAME OUT, RIGHT?

[SIZZLING] MMM.

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THE SOUND OF SIZZLE?

HA HA!

THINK WE CAN GET ABOUT 6 OF THESE ON AT ONCE, JUST LIKE SO.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ENOUGH SPACE BETWEEN EACH ONE OF THEM AND THEY'RE SORT OF NESTLED RIGHT ON THE GRILL ITSELF.

AND THEN WE'RE JUST GONNA LET THESE GRILL FOR ABOUT 10 TO 12 MINUTES, AND WE'RE GONNA TURN THEM HALFWAY THROUGH, AND YOU CAN KIND OF SIMPLY JUST ROTATE THEM WITH YOUR FINGERS, THE END OF THE WOODEN SKEWERS THAT WE HAVE, SO THAT THEY'RE EVENLY COOKING ON ALL SIDES OF THE LAMB.

AND BECAUSE IT'S LAMB, IT'S DEFINITELY A LEAN MEAT, SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO JUST PUT THESE DOWN AND WALK AWAY AND SORT OF, LIKE, FORGET ABOUT THEM.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SORT OF MANNING THE GRILL WHEN IT COMES TO LAMB MEAT.

SO OUR SECOND BATCH OF OUR LAHEM MISHWEE, OUR LUSCIOUS LAMB KABOBS, LOOK ABSOLUTELY SUCCULENT, AND THEY ARE GRILLED TO PERFECTION, AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE, AND I JUST LOVE THE AROMA.

IT SMELLS ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL IN THIS KITCHEN RIGHT NOW.

IT'S MAKING ME CRAZY, ACTUALLY, HOW GOOD IT SMELLS.

AND I LOVE THAT WE LAYERED THE LAMB WITH THE RED ONIONS AND THE VIDALIA ONIONS AND THE YELLOW SPANISH ONIONS AS WELL AS THE, UM, BELL PEPPERS.

THE RED AND THE ORANGE AND THE YELLOW BELL PEPPERS, WHICH GIVES THE LAMB LOTS OF FLAVOR.

SO NOW WE'RE JUST GOING TO GET SOME MORE OF OUR KHEBEZ, OUR LEBANESE POCKET BREAD, RIGHT ON TOP OF THOSE LAMB KABOBS TO STAY NICE AND WARM.

WE'RE JUST GONNA GET THESE IN THE OVEN.

I HAVE THE OVEN PREHEATED AT ABOUT 200 DEGREES, AND THEY'RE GONNA STAY NICE AND WARM AND SUPER SUCCULENT WHILE WE WORK ON OUR OTHER TRADITIONAL LEBANESE DISHES.

HI, EVERYONE.

I'M HERE WITH MY UNCLE DOMINIC.

HE'S MY VERY SPECIAL UNCLE, AND HE'S SO SPECIAL FOR SO MANY REASONS, BUT THERE'S ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT COMES UP IN MY LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

HA!

SO WHEN I'M MEETING AND GREETING ALL OF YOU, BEFORE YOU GUYS ASK ME ABOUT MY RECIPES OR ABOUT MAMA OR HER GARDEN, THERE IS ONE QUESTION THAT YOU ALWAYS ASK ME FIRST.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT QUESTION IS?

YOUR--WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR NAME?

EXACTLY!

HA HA HA!

SO WHERE DID I GET MY NAME, JULIE TABOULIE?

HA HA HA!

WELL, IT STARTED WHEN YOU WERE ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD.

UH, WE'LL BE HANGING OUT IN THE BACKYARD, UH, HAVING A FEW DRINKS AND SOME MEZZE, YES.

AND YOU'LL BE RUNNING AROUND THE YARD, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TIME.

MM-HMM.

AND, UH, WE, UH, CONSTANTLY CALL YOU JULIE TABOULIE.

YEAH.

HA HA HA!

UH, AND THAT NAME, I THINK, STUCK...

RIGHT.

FOR A LONG TIME.

YES.

I DON'T REMEMBER BEING CALLED ANYTHING ELSE, ACTUALLY, FROM AN EARLY AGE THAN JULIE TABOULIE.

HA HA HA!

RIGHT.

THE DISH TABOULIE IS-- IS REALLY SPECIAL, UH...

YES.

TO A LOT OF MIDDLE EASTERN, UH, PEOPLE, AND THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE, AND-- YES.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES, OF COURSE.

AND, UH, NOW YOU CALL ME MISS TABOULIE.

I'VE--I'VE GRADUATED.

[LAUGHING] YES.

YOU GRADUATED.

WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT?

WOULD YOU HAVE THOUGHT THAT?

[LAUGHING] NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS.

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE SITTING OVER HERE DOING AN INTERVIEW WITH YOU, AND THAT NAME STUCK ALL THOSE YEARS.

WELL, I'M SO HAPPY YOU GAVE ME THE NICKNAME, AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT, UM, JUST SO SERENDIPITOUSLY, I AM ABLE TO BE NOW JULIE TABOULIE TO ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

HA HA!

I'M PROUD OF YOU.

AWW!

LOVE YOU.

HA HA!

LOVE YOU, TOO.

SO NOW WE'RE STARTING ON ANOTHER TRADITIONAL DISH THAT IS SEEN ALL THROUGHOUT LEBANON AND FOR SURE IN MY FAMILY, WHICH IS OUR BATATA MAQLIEH, WHICH IS OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRESH HAND-CUT FRENCH FRIES.

AND I'M USING THE YUKON GOLD POTATOES FOR THIS, WHICH YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE HOW BEAUTIFUL THESE ARE, AND THEN I PEELED ALL OF THE SKIN OFF AND IT HAS THIS BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN COLOR, AND I REALLY LIKE USING THEM FOR THESE FRENCH FRIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A REALLY NICE, RICH, SORT OF CREAMY TEXTURE AND FLAVOR.

AND THIS DISH ESPECIALLY MAKES ME THINK OF MY SITTO.

SHE JUST LOVES POTATOES, AND I REMEMBER WHEN SHE CAME TO VISIT US, I WAS IN--I THINK I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, ACTUALLY, AT THE TIME, AND I SWEAR, EVERY DISH THAT SHE MADE FOR MY, UH, SISTER AND MY BROTHERS AND I HAD SOME SORT OF POTATO-- HA!--IN THE MEAL.

AND SHE'D ALWAYS COME TO THE TABLE AND SAY, "SKIBOO, SKIBOO!

EAT!

EAT!"

OK.

SO THAT LOOKS AMAZING.

THEY'RE THESE BEAUTIFUL SORT OF LONG, CUT STRIPS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

YOU SEE THAT?

THEY'RE ABOUT MAYBE LIKE A QUARTER-INCH OR SO THICK.

THEY'RE NOT TOO THIN AND THEY'RE NOT TOO THICK.

OK?

AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE OUR OIL THAT IS NICE AND HOT.

I'M USING VEGETABLE OIL TODAY, BUT YOU CAN USE CANOLA OIL OR ANY SORT OF OIL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE.

JUST KIND OF STAYING AWAY FROM THE OLIVE OIL, OF COURSE.

AND BY NOW IT SHOULD BE NICE AND HOT.

OK, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA SIMPLY GRAB A HANDFUL OF OUR FRESH-CUT, HAND-CUT, YUKON GOLD, GOLDEN DELICIOUS POTATOES.

WE'RE GONNA JUST LOWER THEM INTO THE OIL JUST LIKE SO.

WE WANT THEM NICE, GOLDEN-- LIGHT GOLD IN COLOR, AND WE WANT THEM NICE AND CRISPY AND CRUNCHY ON THE OUTSIDE AND JUST SO REALLY NICE AND LUSCIOUS ON THE INSIDE.

I FEEL LIKE THE FRENCH FRIES FOR SURE MAKE THIS A TRADITIONAL LEBANESE MEAL, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS AT THE TABLE.

BOTH HERE AND IN LEBANON, I REMEMBER FRENCH FRIES, OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES ALWAYS BEING SERVED, AND FOR SURE WITH OUR DISHES THAT WE'RE MAKING TODAY, THEY GO SO PERFECTLY.

OUR TABOULIE, OUR LAHEM MISHWEE, OUR LAMB KABOBS, OUR TOUM SAUCE REALLY MAKES A COMPLETE TRADITIONAL LEBANESE MEAL, I FEEL.

AND I THINK MY UNCLE DOMINIC'S JUST GONNA LOVE IT.

ESPECIALLY ONCE WE FINISH THESE FRIES WITH OUR TOUM SAUCE AND WITH OUR FRESH HERBS AND SEA SALT, THEY'RE GONNA BE SO SCRUMPTIOUS.

SO WHILE I'M FRYING UP THE REST OF OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES THAT WE CALL BATATA MAQLIEH, I WANT YOU GUYS TO CHECK OUT MY VERY OWN HERB GARDEN THAT MAMA PLANTED FOR ME THIS YEAR.

SO YOU ALL KNOW MAMA'S GLORIOUS GARDEN, BUT THIS YEAR, SHE HELPED ME PLANT MY VERY OWN HERB GARDEN, RIGHT HERE.

I CALL IT MY BINTI, MY BABY HERB GARDEN.

SO, MAMA, TELL EVERYBODY HOW YOU HELPED ME PLANT MY HERB GARDEN THIS YEAR.

WELL, I FOCUSED ON HERBS THAT YOU ENJOY COOKING WITH, WHICH IS SPECIALLY TABOULIE.

YES.

HA HA HA!

AND THAT'S PARSLEY, SCALLION, AND MINT.

RIGHT.

AND THEN WE--WE PLANTED OTHER HERBS THAT YOU USE IN LOT OF YOUR COOKING AND YOUR STUFFING.

SO, MAMA, THE NUMBER-ONE QUESTION THAT I ALWAYS GET ASKED IS WHY I LIKE USING FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY VERSUS THE CURLY PARSLEY.

WELL, YOU'RE ABLE TO CUT IT REALLY FINE, WHICH IS--THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU MAKE TABOULIE, IS THE FINER THE PARSLEY, THE BETTER THE TABOULIE, I THINK, COMES OUT.

AND I THINK IT'S GOT A BETTER TASTE TO IT AND TO ME, IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO GROW, AND YOU DO CUT IT FEW TIMES A YEAR AND USE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THE NEXT INGREDIENT IN THE TABOULIE, BECAUSE IT'S OUR FRESH HERB SALAD, OUR ONION OF CHOICE FOR OUR TABOULIE, WHICH IS OUR SCALLION.

OUR SCALLION, AND THESE ARE MY WALKING ONIONS, AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY-- THEY'RE CONSTANTLY PRODUCING, UH...

YES.

SCALLION ALL THROUGH THE SUMMER.

YES.

AND I--AND I DO LEAVE THEM IN, SOME OF THEM, FOR-- TO OVER WINTER, AND THEY COME BACK AGAIN IN THE SPRING.

AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE THEM SO MUCH.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, TABOULIE CANNOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT OUR SPEARMINT.

WE CALL IT NA'NA, BY THE WAY, IN, UH, IN LEBANESE.

RIGHT?

IT JUST GIVES THE TABOULIE FRESH TASTE.

IT'S--IT'S DELICIOUS, YOU KNOW.

IT'S THERE--YOU CAN'T-- YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT THAT MUCH TO KNOW IT'S THERE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF IT BECAUSE IT'LL BECOME BITTER, SO-- YEAH.

A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG WAY.

YEAH.

THERE YOU HAVE IT.

YOU HAVE YOUR 3 MAIN INGREDIENTS HERE NEXT TO OUR TOMATOES.

WE HAVE OUR PARSLEY, WHICH IS OUR-- IN LEBANESE, BADOUNAS.

BADOUNAS.

WE HAVE OUR SCALLIONS.

BASAL AKHDAR.

AND WE HAVE OUR NA'NA.

NA'NA.

HA HA!

THANKS, MAMA.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ISN'T MY BINTI HERB GARDEN THAT MAMA PLANTED FOR ME SO BEAUTIFUL?

I'M SO THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL TO MAMA FOR PLANTING IT FOR ME THIS YEAR BECAUSE I COOK SO MUCH WITH HERBS THAT IT'S REALLY NICE TO JUST HAVE THEM ALL IN ONE PLACE.

IT'S LIKE ONE-STOP SHOPPING FOR ALL OF MY FRESH HERBS.

AND IN THE MEANTIME, I FINISHED FRYING OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES, WHICH I HAVE RIGHT HERE, AND WE'RE GONNA FINISH THEM OFF WITH MY TOUM SAUCE, WHICH I ALREADY STARTED.

I STARTED OFF WITH ONE WHOLE HEAD OF GARLIC THAT I MASHED DOWN INTO THIS NICE, SMOOTH PASTE THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, OK, SO IT'S REALLY NICE AND CREAMY, AND WE'RE GONNA BASICALLY BLEND IT RIGHT NOW WITH MY OLIVE OIL.

AND WE'RE GONNA FIRST SORT OF BLEND THE GARLIC WITH THE OIL UNTIL IT BECOMES KIND OF ONE CONSISTENCY.

KIND OF MARRY THE TWO ELEMENTS TOGETHER.

LOOK AT THAT.

YOU SEE HOW NICE AND CREAMY IT GOT WITH THE OLIVE OIL AND THE GARLIC PASTE?

AND NOW WE'RE JUST GONNA SORT OF STREAM IN SOME FRESH LEMON JUICE.

JUST LIKE SO, ABOUT HALF OF THE AMOUNT.

NOW YOU JUST WANT TO BLEND THAT LEMON JUICE IN WITH THE OLIVE OIL AND WITH THE GARLIC JUST LIKE THAT.

I THINK IT'S SO FUN TO MAKE THE TOUM.

I ACTUALLY LOVE MAKING OUR TOUM SAUCE AND KIND OF MASHING GARLIC IN OUR [SPEAKS ARABIC WORD], IN OUR MORTAR AND PESTLES.

[CHUCKLES] KIND OF GETS OUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF YOUR AGGRESSION FOR THE DAY, AT LEAST, RIGHT?

HA HA HA!

AND NOW, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO... IS I'M GOING TO DRIZZLE THIS ALL OVER OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES, OK, AND I ACTUALLY AM GONNA SPRINKLE THEM A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME FRESH PARSLEY THAT I HAVE RIGHT HERE.

GIVE THEM A LITTLE TOUCH OF SOME SEA SALT ALSO.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.

THERE IS OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES THAT WE CALL BATATA MAQLIEH.

AND I'M JUST GONNA ACTUALLY LEAVE THEM RIGHT OVER HERE, BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE ONE MORE DISH TO FINISH, AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS-- IT'S OUR TABOULIE, BECAUSE IT'S TABOULIE TIME AND IT'S OUR TABOULIE DAY.

IT'S ALL ABOUT TABOULIE.

SO I'M GONNA GRAB OUR TABOULIE BOWL.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL FRESH MINT LEAVES JUST SORT OF AWAITING US RIGHT ON TOP.

AND THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T CHOP THESE BEFOREHAND IS BECAUSE THEY WOULD ESSENTIALLY TURN SORT OF BROWNISH COLOR, EVEN BLACK.

YOU KNOW, VERY SIMILAR TO BASIL IN THAT WAY.

OK.

THE MINT GOES RIGHT ON TOP, JUST LIKE SO.

AND BY NOW, OUR BULGUR WHEAT IS DEFINITELY SOFTENED, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SOAKING IN THE WATER, AND REMEMBER, IF YOU WANT TO USE QUINOA, YOU DEFINITELY CAN DO THAT FOR A GLUTEN-FREE VERSION.

OK. NOW WE'RE GONNA BASICALLY JUST TOSS THIS UP IN SOME FRESH LEMON JUICE AND OLIVE OIL AND OUR SEA SALT.

NOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT A GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED LEBANESE MIX USING OUR HANDS.

HA HA HA!

JUST SORT OF KIND OF SCOOPING UNDERNEATH WHERE THOSE TOMATOES HAVE BEEN NESTLING IN ALL OF THEIR DELICIOUS JUICES.

AND THEY'RE JUST SORT OF BEING THOROUGHLY INCORPORATED WITH THE FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY, WITH OUR SCALLIONS, OUR SPRING ONIONS, WITH OUR FRESH MINT, OF COURSE, AND OUR FRESH LEMON JUICE, OLIVE OIL, AND SEA SALT, AND THAT IS IT.

I AM SO HAPPY THAT I WAS ABLE TO SHARE MY TABOULIE SHOW WITH ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF THE TRADITIONS THAT I'VE SEEN AT OUR LEBANESE TABLE SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

WE HAVE OUR FAMOUS SALATA, OUR QUEEN SALATA; OUR TABOULIE RIGHT HERE, FRONT AND CENTER; AND THEN WHO COULD FORGET ABOUT OUR LUSCIOUS LAHEM MISHWEE, OUR LAMB KABOBS, LEADING THE WAY LIKE THEY DO IN LEBANON AND HERE ON OUR LEBANESE TABLE?

AND THEN, OUR--WELL, MY SITTO'S FAVORITE, I SHOULD SAY, OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES, OUR BATATA MAQLIEH, AND OUR TOUM SAUCE, A NICE BOWL OF THIS AS WELL.

SO WE CAN SORT OF DIP THE LAMB IN THE TOUM SAUCE AND KIND OF HAVE THE WHOLE, ENTIRE, BEAUTIFUL TABOULIE DISHES KIND OF BLEND WELL WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE THESE WITH MY UNCLE DOMINIC, OF COURSE.

AND I WISH YOU AND YOURS ALWAYS TO TAKLOULL BIL HANNA.

EAT IN HAPPINESS, SENDING SMILES.

CHEERS TO YOU...

CHEERS TO YOU, TOO.

FOR GIVING ME MY CHILDHOOD NICKNAME THAT IS NOW MY STAGE NAME.

IT'S A PLEASURE.

HA HA HA!

OUR FRESH TABOULIE.

THAT LOOKS GOOD.

SOME OF OUR LEBANESE-STYLE FRENCH FRIES WITH GARLIC, LEMON, TOUM, AND FRESH PARSLEY.

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, OUR LAHEM MISHWEE, OUR LEBANESE LAMB KABOBS JUST FOR YOU.

CAN'T WAIT TO EAT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO ENJOY THIS TRADITIONAL TABOULIE MEAL WITH YOU.

[LAUGHING] I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL DAY LONG FOR THIS.

I REALLY LOVE THAT TABOULIE IS MY NICKNAME AND STAGE NAME, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITE DISHES TO MAKE AND TO EAT, AND TO ENJOY WITH YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HA HA HA!

LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU, TOO.

HA HA HA!

ANNOUNCER: "JULIE TABOULIE'S LEBANESE KITCHEN: "AUTHENTIC RECIPES FOR FRESH AND FLAVORFUL MEDITERRANEAN HOME COOKING" IS NOW AVAILABLE.

THE COOKBOOK OFFERS 125 RECIPES, HANDS-ON INSTRUCTIONS, AND TIPS AND TRICKS TO HELP YOU MAKE ALL OF JULIE'S DISHES FROM THIS SEASON.

COOK, CREATE, AND CELEBRATE JULIE'S AUTHENTIC RECIPES RIGHT AT HOME.

TO ORDER A COPY, CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS OR ORDER ONLINE AT SHOPPBS.ORG.

JOIN JULIE TABOULIE FOR FRESH AND FLAVORFUL LEBANESE FOODS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT JULIETABOULIE.COM.

FIND JULIE'S AUTHENTIC RECIPES FOR THE TASTIEST MEDITERRANEAN HOME COOKING.

IT'S JULIE-TESTED AND MAMA-APPROVED.

VISIT JULIETABOULIE.COM TODAY.

JULIE: "JULIE TABOULIE'S LEBANESE KITCHEN" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY... MAN: ♪ DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ DO YOUR THING, DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ SYRACUSE, DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ DO YOUR THING, DO YOUR THING ♪ ♪ SYRACUSE, DO YOUR THING ♪