Ingredients

First make a vegetable-herb tea:
1 onion, roughly chopped into large chunks
1 bay leaf
1 bunch of mint, stems only, roughly chopped
1 sprig thyme
3 cinnamon sticks
10 cloves
1 head of garlic, halved
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Strain and reserve vegetable-herb tea liquid for cooking grains; discard solids.

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, peeled and finely diced
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup bulgur wheat (also known as cracked wheat)
1 1/2 cups vegetable-herb tea
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh mint, thinly sliced
1 cup French (green) lentils, cooked
1 to 2 scallions, finely sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups toasted almonds
3/4 cup golden raisins (soaked in warm water to plump)

Directions

Place 2 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saucepot over medium heat, add diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 15 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent. Season again with salt to taste, stir, and add bulgur wheat. Stir to thoroughly coat grains. Add 1 1/2 cups vegetable-herb tea, stir and cover. Reduce heat to low. Cook bulgur wheat until the liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Cover pot, turn off heat and let wheat stand until it blooms, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff grains to separate.

Let grains stand until cooled to room temperature, then fluff again to separate. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and fold in the parsley, mint, lentils, scallions, lemon zest, almonds and raisins.