Basic Bulgur as a Hot Dish or Salad

This is quite an old post that I’m revamping because I particularly like cooked bulgur (or burgul in Israel). It cooks in about half the time that brown rice does i.e. 20 or so minutes, is a whole grain and filling and yum.  I used to eschew it since the recipes I used wanted me to pour boiling water over the bulgur and let it sit.  It was too dense and chewy for me and I felt like it sat like lead in my tummy – not cool.

I experimented with it and also found my SIL Suzy didn’t prepare it that way and tried boiling it like rice.  Eureka!  It fluffs up and doubles in volume and all you need to know is how to prepare it properly with water and grain proportions measured.

Really, don’t cheat and measure by eye, use a measuring cup because here proportions really matter. In addition to providing you with the basic recipe for bulgur which tastes somewhat like a fluffy couscous (with a bit of chew which is nice), I give you one of my fave ways to prepare it in a salad. Very simple, basic and delish. You’ll find yourself making it both ways time and again. In fact, that’s what I generally do. First serve it as a hot dish and the next day, use up the rest in a salad. It goes quickly either way.

So gather your ingredients (I show for both ways).

Now mind you, I will often toss in chopped parsley, whether defrosted frozen cubes (yes, yes, I use them with no apology if I have no fresh on hand) or the fresh chopped but this time I was in a bit of a hurry and skipped it. Great with, great without so go with what you prefer. K.

Chop up your tomatoes (a note. the tomatoes need to be ripe but if they are a tad withered it’s fine. An excellent way to use them up!) and set aside. You can store them in the fridge if you want to first eat your bulgur hot.

Place the chicken flavored soup mix in the pot

and add the water and olive oil and bring to the boil. Add bulgur in a stream to the pot, let come back to boil and lower to simmer, covering the pot with a lid. Cook on low heat 20-25 minutes. Turn off flame and leave pot covered an additional five minutes (longer is fine but not shorter). Remove lid and fluff the bulgur so it’s not compacted but loose.

Now you can serve hot or (yay) you can pop in the fridge and serve hot the next day, just as good. Heat it on a warmer or zap it in the microwave or serve it as the salad. Honestly, I’m not sure which way I like it better.

Remember your chopped tomatoes? Now add them to the cooled bulgur

and squeeze in two teaspoons or more of fresh lemon juice. Add about two teaspoons more olive oil and toss, toss, toss then taste to adjust for salt.

At this point you do or don’t add your parsley and toss. It’s delicious and quick as a side dish. Crumble some feta in and place on lettuce leaves and call it a lunch or dinner salad. Me and DH try to be gracious to each other and not fight over the last bites of salad.

Kosher From Jerusalem – Debbie

Basic Bulgur as a Hot Dish or Salad

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Servings: 4

Course: lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup uncooked bulgur
• 2 1/4 cups boiling water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 2 heaping teaspoons chicken flavored soup mix powder I use the vegetarian kind
• Salt to taste

FOR THE SALAD ADD:

• 3 small-medium tomatoes chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil this is additional oil, yes
• 2 teaspoons or more fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional, fresh or frozen

Method

 

Bring water to boil in pot with soup mix and oil. Slowly add bulgur and mix well till it comes back to the boil. Lower the heat till barely simmering and cover pot. Cook on very low heat for 20-25 minutes, stir once or twice during cooking. Put this on a timer, you don't want to overcook it. When it rings, turn off the heat and don't open the pot lid. Let it steam for a bit longer, at least 5 minutes. Remove lid, gently fluff.

At this point, you can serve it like a grain and served hot it is excellent. Just taste a bit to see if it needs salt.

However, I also love it as a salad. If you wish to go that direction, then you add (see above) the chopped tomatoes, additional olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice and toss this together and taste a bit to see if it needs salt. You can add the chopped parsley if you choose and toss again.

Serve on lettuce leaves with crumbled feta and you have a light lunch or dinner