Rachel Khoo: Toasted buckwheat tabbouleh

I've been somewhat put off tabbouleh thanks to the French supermarkets, in which this fresh Arabic salad appears sealed in Cellophane and swimming in dodgy dressing for 'lunch on the run'.

My take on tabbouleh is reigniting my love for tomato salads. One of the great things about it is its portability. Unlike most salads, which suffer from pre-dressing, this one can be dressed ahead; the buckwheat holds its bite and toasting it brings out its delicious nuttiness, so you can kiss soggy salads goodbye.

Toasted buckwheat tabbouleh

Serves 2

300g buckwheat (from health food shops or online)

1 medium red onion, peeled and finely sliced

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of sea salt

2-3 beef tomatoes, chopped into 1cm cubes

1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 small bunch mint leaves, chopped

For the dressing:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

Sea salt and black pepper

Toast the buckwheat in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until it gets a little more golden and smells toasty.

In the meantime, put the onion in a large serving bowl (or Tupperware box) with the red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir together before adding the tomatoes, herbs and toasted buckwheat.

In a separate bowl, make the dressing. Mix the oil, lemon juice and seasoning, then pour over the tabbouleh, stirring together thoroughly.