Bulgur Pilaf and Tabbouleh Recipes
Hot or Cold, Bulgur is a Healthy and Tasty Alternative to Rice
Recipes for a Hot Bulgur Pilaf and a Cold Summer Salad of Tabbouleh.
Bulgur is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, whether it’s served hot, in pilafs or cold in tabbouleh (or tabbouleh). By itself, 100 grams of bulgur is said to contain 8 grams of fiber, 12.5 grams of protein , 8 grams of natural sugar and about 60 grams of carbohydrate. About 1.75 grams of that 100 gram sample of bulgur would also have only about 1.7 grams of fat, of which, only about 0.2 grams is saturated fat. In short, mixed with vegetables in various recipes, it becomes a pretty well-balance, low fat, high fiber meal.
Prepared from wheat in a process that’s over a thousand years old (please see my blog on the topic), bulgur also keeps for months at a time with no refrigeration and is easily transportable – a must for cultures who are often traditionally nomadic. Yet, in any recipe, it is simply delicious, with a light, nutty flavor and a real “stick to your ribs” quality that belies the fact that it’s also an extremely healthy food to have as part of your diet.
Here are two recipes: a hot pilaf and a cool summer tabbouleh salad.
Bulgur Pilaf
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of unprepared bulgur
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- ½ can of tomato paste (optional)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
Preparation:
1. In a covered skillet, heat the olive oil until hot, but not burning.
2. Add the dry bulgur and gently “toast” the kernels until the oil is absorbed – but not so long as the bulgur begins to burn.
3. Add the chicken stock and the tomato paste (if desired) and bring to a boil.
4. Cover the skillet tightly, reduce the heat and cook as you would rice – on a low heat, until all the liquid is absorbed, and the bulgur is softened – but NOT too mushy.
5. Remove from the heat, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Fluff a bit with a fork, and serve hot.
NOTE: Adding vegetables, like chopped onions of scallions, sweet peppers, minced carrots, mushrooms, peas, celery and chopped potatoes – and/or herbs like chopped parsley or even mint, makes this a complete meal. This is also excellent to serve with Tass Kebab or Shish Kebab.
Tabbouleh
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of unprepared bulgur
- About a quart of salted water
- ¼ cup EACH of finely chopped parsley, mint, cucumbers, scallions, and tomatoes
- About 1/8 – ¼ cup of lemon juice (to taste)
- About ¼ - ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. In a deep bowl, place the dry bulgur and pour the salted water over it. Cover and let it stand for AT LEAST an hour – or until the bulgur has softened and can be easily chewed. Usually, the water will be absorbed. If the liquid is absorbed, and the bulgur is still “crunchy,” simply add more water and let it stand a bit longer.
2. Take the soaked bulgur up by the fistful and tightly squeeze the grains to remove ALL the excess water, placing each fistful in a clean bowl. (If you don’t get all the excess water, the finished product will be soggy).
3. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables to the bowl, along with the olive oil and the lemon juice. Season and mix well – the salad will be more or less lemony and dressed with olive oil, according to your taste – but as the salad sits and chills, the oil and lemon will be more absorbed.
4. Chill and serve. If the salad looks too dry, feel free to add a bit more olive oil over the top before coming to the table.
