Abu Shalhoub

Growing up, Fridays were special days for us as the whole family flocked to my grandmother’s house for the big family lunch which always ended up with dinner and was filled with cooking, chatting, playing cards and back gammon and laughing. Of course, with big family lunches come big table spreads of Damascene signature comfort food dishes.

This dish, another one of my favourite comfort foods, is a Damascene summer dish that combines zucchini which is in abundance during the summer season and cracked wheat. The ingredients are simple, and the meal is light. But what makes this recipe stand out is the freshly chopped aromatic coriander and crushed garlic added at the end, which elevates it to a different level, this is not a traditional ingredient in the authentic recipe, but It is my preference. This dish hits the right cords in me, as it creates that bridge I miss to my grandmother (tete Amneh)and the old lemon tree in her ancient mamlouki house right in the heart of the Old City of Damascus.

The lemon tree was where all significant events, lunches and dinners took place. Tete would throw a carpet on the basalt stone flooring, scatter some pillows for guests to lean on and stories and laughter took place until the late hours of the evening with echoes breaking the silence of the night. She loved cooking this dish. As it could feed many with little cost, and there is no Syrian who does not enjoy it.

This Dish can be cooked with mincemeat or as a vegetarian dish which I personally prefer. As for the name Abu Shalhoub meaning (the father of Shalhoub), who knows! This dish is super healthy and a perfect meal for diabetic patients. We eat it with a yoghurt and cucumber sauce and a simple Arab style salad.

Servings: 5

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Start to finish: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

1-kilogram zucchini

2 cups coarse bulgur

1 onion

5 cloves crushed garlic

2 cups chopped coriander leaf

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups of water

Method:

· Chop the onion and sauté in olive oil.

· Cut the zucchini into medium cubes and add to the onions. Read notes below for enhanced texture.

· Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes and add the salt and pepper then the bulgur, stir for two to 3 minutes then add the water, adjust the salt and cover.

· Leave it to boil on medium heat for around 20 or so minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the bulgur is cooked.

· Add the crushed garlic and coriander and cook for a further minute.

· Serve with a yoghurt sauce and an Arabic style salad.

Notes:

· Choose small zucchini as it contains less water.

· If you have warm weather, lay the chopped zucchini on a tray and cover with a linen cloth and place the tray under the sun. This will evaporate the water from the zucchini and give it a firm texture.

· If you want to add meat, you must fry the meat with the onion until browned before adding the zucchini.

· The garlic and coriander are optional, but I prefer it this way.

· You can follow his method of cooking any kind of vegetables you fancy.

Per Serving : 336 Calories; 10g Fat (23.9% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 57g Carbohydrate; 14g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 47mg Sodium.