Tabbouleh with Tomato-Water Dressing and Pomegranate

Method

1. Cut the tomatoes into 5 mm dice, toss them with the salt for the tomatoes and leave in a sieve set over a bowl for 10 min. The salt draws out a clear, fragrant tomato water. Keep it: it is the secret of this version.

   Add in this stepRipe tomatoes 1Salt (for the tomatoes) 1 pinch

2. Rinse the bulgur once and squeeze it dry, then mix it with the tomato water and one third of the lemon juice. Leave for 20 minutes, until there is no hard core when you bite it.

   Add in this stepFine bulgur 20 gLemon juice 1 tbsp

3. Meanwhile plunge the parsley and mint into a bowl of iced water, swish them around and leave them to crisp up, then dry them completely in a salad spinner or between kitchen paper (about 6 min in total). Crisp, dry leaves stay bright green and cut cleanly.

   Add in this stepFlat-leaf parsley (leaves only) 100 gMint leaves 15 g

4. Pick off the thick stems. Stack a handful of parsley leaves, roll them into a tight bundle and slice across very thinly with a sharp knife; do the same with the mint. Never chop back and forth over the same spot, or the leaves bruise and turn black. This takes about 8 min.

5. Chop the shallot very finely and leave it in the rest of the lemon juice for 5 min to soften its bite. Add the pomegranate molasses, allspice, black pepper and the salt for the dressing, then pour in the olive oil in a thin stream while whisking, until the dressing is slightly thick and glossy.

   Add in this stepShallot (small; or onion) ½Lemon juice 2 tbspPomegranate molasses 1 tspGround allspice 1 pinchBlack pepper (freshly ground) 1 pinchSalt (for the dressing) ¼ tspExtra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp

6. Just before serving, gently fold the herbs, bulgur and drained tomatoes with the dressing in a large bowl. Pile onto a plate, scatter with the pomegranate seeds and sumac, and serve with lettuce leaves for scooping.

   Add in this stepPomegranate seeds 2 tbspSumac 1 pinchRomaine lettuce leaves (to serve) to taste