Syrian Cracked Wheat Salad

I like to think of this Syrian wheat salad as tabouleh (opposite) that’s been to finishing school. It contains an offbeat ingredient most North American Jews don’t think of as Jewish: tamarind. But this tropical fruit (actually, it’s the pulp of a curved seedpod) is mentioned by name in the Bible and its tart, fruity flavor (think prunes soaked in lime juice) is appreciated by Sephardic Jews from the Caribbean to Calcutta. Look for tamarind at Caribbean and Middle Eastern markets. The easie