By substituting bulgur for rice in recipes, you get dishes that are higher in protein.
By FAYE LEVY, YAKIR LEVYUpdated: DECEMBER 13, 2016 00:51Creamy bulgur wheat pudding with fruit(photo credit: YAKIR LEVY)
At the first Bulgur Festival, held in Gaziantep in southeast Turkey in late May, we realized how much more there is for us to learn about this staple of Middle Eastern cooking. Chefs and their assistants prepared 101 different bulgur wheat dishes, ranging from traditional fried kubbeh and bulgur pilaf with lentils (see recipe) to innovative items such as bulgur-crusted cheesecake and melon stuffed with pomegranate-bulgur salad.Wheat is believed to have first been cultivated in the Middle East, and bulgur wheat, which is made of wheat that is parboiled, dried and cracked, has been known since ancient times. In fact, it may have been the first convenience food. It cooks quickly, and smaller sizes of bulgur do not even need to be cooked at all; they require only brief soaking to rehydrate them.At seminars at the festival, experts discussed the healthful properties of bulgur wheat. They pointed out that by substituting bulgur for rice in recipes, you get dishes that are higher in protein.Chefs from several countries demonstrated how to use bulgur wheat in their rice specialties. An Italian chef, for example, made bulgur risotto. A chef from India showed us how to transform chicken biryani, which is classically made with rice, into spicy bulgur biryani. A Korean chef prepared bulgur bibimbap, replacing the standard cooked rice with bulgur wheat and topping it with sautéed vegetables, fried eggs and a hot-and-sweet Korean sauce.Among the other creative dishes we tasted were tart cherry tabbouleh (see recipe) and safflower-flavored bulgur pilaf served in a pineapple. From chef Yunus Emre Akkor we learned how to make deconstructed kubbeh – he topped a bed of seasoned cooked bulgur wheat with sautéed spiced ground lamb and pine nuts.For festival-goers who were looking for time-honored foods, there were samples of popular Turkish dishes such as spicy meatless bulgur pâté (see recipe) and bulgur pilaf with chickpeas, tomatoes and pepper paste.We particularly liked the creamy bulgur pudding with fresh fruit, an easy twist on the old-fashioned wheat berry dessert known as Noah’s Pudding. (See recipe.)Bulgur wheat pilaf with lentils, tomatoes and peppersYou can make this Turkish-style pilaf with cooked or canned chickpeas instead of lentils. If you don’t have canned tomatoes, substitute 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.Serves 4 to 6
■ 1 cup lentils, sorted■ 2 cups chicken, meat or vegetable broth or water■ 3-4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil■ 1 large onion, chopped■2 red bell peppers, finely diced, or 1 red and 1 green■ 1 tsp. ground cumin■ A 400-gr. (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained■ 1 cup medium or coarse bulgur wheat■ Salt and freshly ground pepper■ 1 tsp. semi-hot red pepper, or ¾ tsp. paprika and ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste■ 2-3 Tbsp. chopped parsley■ Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)Combine lentils and broth in a saucepan.Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes or until lentils are just tender. Drain liquid into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups; reserve.Keep lentils in their pan.Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are tender but not brown, about 15 minutes. Add cumin, stir over low heat for 30 seconds and remove from heat.Add tomatoes to pan of lentils. Add the 2 cups measured liquid and bring to a boil. Add salt and bulgur wheat and return to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes. Add sautéed pepper-onion mixture and cook for 5 more minutes or until bulgur wheat is just tender. Cover and let stand for 5 or 10 minutes.Fluff pilaf with a fork, lightly blending in vegetables. Add salt if needed, black pepper, red pepper and parsley and toss lightly. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding remaining tablespoon of olive oil if you like. Serve with lemon wedges.Turkish tabbouleh with tart cherriesThis salad, known in Turkey as kisir, is similar to tabbouleh but usually has a reddish hue because of the addition of pepper paste, tomato paste or both. Often it has tomatoes and cucumbers, but this new version made at the Bulgur Festival had tart dried cherries. You can substitute dried cranberries.Serves 6 to 8■ 1½ cups fine or medium bulgur wheat■ 1½ cups hot water■ Salt and freshly ground pepper■ 1-1½ Tbsp. Turkish-style red pepper paste, or to taste (see note following Spicy meatless bulgur pâté) or tomato paste, or ½-1 tsp. hot pepper paste such as s’hug■ 3-4 Tbsp. fruity extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste■ 2-4 Tbsp. strained fresh lemon juice, or to taste■ 1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses (optional)■ 1 garlic clove, finely minced■ 1 tsp. sweet paprika■ ¼-½ tsp. semi-hot red pepper or hot paprika (optional, if not using pepper paste)■ Pinch of hot red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)■ ½ cup dried tart cherries■ 1 tsp. dried mint■ 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint (optional)■ 3 small green onions, chopped■ ½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley■ ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted (optional)Combine the bulgur wheat and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Pour the hot water over the bulgur, cover and let it stand until the water is absorbed and the bulgur is tender but still slightly chewy, about 15 minutes.In a small bowl whisk the pepper paste with 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until blended.Whisk in the pomegranate molasses or 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add this dressing to the bulgur wheat and toss with a fork to blend. Add garlic, paprika, semi-hot red pepper and pepper flakes, if desired, and mix well. Add the dried cherries.Lightly stir in the dried and fresh mint, green onions and all but 1 tablespoon parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more lemon juice and/or olive oil if desired.Serve the salad in a bowl at room temperature, or spoon it into small ramekins and unmold them onto plates.Serve sprinkled with pine nuts and remaining parsley.Spicy meatless bulgur pâtéThis recipe is from A Taste of Sun & Fire: Gaziantep Cookery, edited by Aylin Oney Tan. The pâté makes use of fine bulgur, which requires no cooking and no added liquid. “Tomatoes provide all the liquid needed to soften the bulgur,” wrote Tan.Turkish pepper paste gives the pâté a spicy flavor. You can make it following the note below; or substitute ½ to 1 teaspoon s’hug or other hot pepper paste to taste.The bulgur is softened by being kneaded vigorously with chopped onion, garlic and tomatoes. To do this more easily, my friend Dilek Nuran Yildirim kneads the mixture in a mixer instead.Tan recommends serving the pâté on lettuce leaves and accompanying it with pickles, fresh herbs and ayran (yogurt beverage). If you like, serve the pâté with blanched fresh grape leaves, to use for wrapping the pieces.Serves 5 to 6■ 1 onion, finely chopped■ 4 or 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped■ 2 tsp. salt■ 2 cups fine bulgur■ 1 Tbsp. tomato paste■ 1 Tbsp. Turkish-style red pepper paste (see note below)■ 1-2 Tbsp. paprika or semi-hot ground red pepper, or to taste■ ½ tsp. black pepper■ 2 or 3 large tomatoes (about 500 gr.or 18 oz.), peeled and finely chopped■ 2 Tbsp. clarified butter or butter (at room temperature)Combine the finely chopped onion and garlic with the salt and rub well.When the onions have released their juices, mix with the bulgur, tomato paste, red pepper paste, paprika and black pepper. Add the chopped tomato and knead vigorously for 15 to 20 minutes, dipping your hands in water from time to time.Add the softened clarified butter and continue to knead for 5 minutes until the butter is thoroughly blended in. Taste and adjust seasoning; knead again to blend in any seasonings you add.Dip your hands in water and take walnut- sized pieces of the mixture. Squeeze in your palm to form oblong shapes marked with the impression of your fingers.Serve at room temperature.Note: If you don’t have pepper paste, you can make quick red pepper paste using this recipe from The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean, by Paula Wolfert: In a food processor puree 550 grams (about 1¼ pounds) fleshy sweet red peppers, stemmed, cored and cut up with 1 small hot chili pepper, stemmed, cored and seeded, 2 tablespoons water, a pinch of sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt.Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until reduced to a jam-like consistency. Store in a jar, covered with 2 teaspoons olive oil, up to 3 or 4 days; or divide into 5 parts, wrap in plastic and freeze in an airtight container. Makes ²⁄3 to ¾ cup.Creamy bulgur wheat pudding with fruitChoose a colorful selection of fresh and dried fruit to garnish this easy dessert. It’s a quick-cooking version of a Turkish dessert called ashure (Noah’s Pudding) that is traditionally made with wheat berries.Serves 6■ 2¼ cups water■ Pinch of salt■ 1½ cups medium or coarse bulgur wheat■ 3 cups milk, or a little more if needed■ ½ cup dried cranberries, raisins or diced dried apricots, figs or dates, or a mixture of diced dried fruit■ ½ cup sugar■ 2-4 Tbsp. honey, or to taste■ 2 Tbsp. butter (optional)■ 2 tsp. grated orange zest■ 1-2 Tbsp. rose water (optional)■ ¹⁄3 cup raw or toasted pistachios or toasted walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or mixed nuts■ 1 cup diced or thinly sliced fresh fruit■ Mint leaves (for garnish)Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy, large saucepan and add bulgur wheat. Cover and cook over medium- low heat for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir in 3 cups milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes or until bulgur is tender and absorbs most of milk.Set aside 2 tablespoons dried fruit for garnish. Stir remaining dried fruit into bulgur mixture. Add sugar and honey and cook over low heat until blended.Pudding should look creamy, not soupy and not dry. If pudding is too thick, slowly stir in more milk and heat through briefly. Stir in butter, orange zest, rose water and most of the nuts.Serve pudding warm or cold. To serve, spoon pudding into dessert dishes and top with fresh fruit, remaining dried fruit and remaining nuts. Garnish with mint leaves.Faye Levy is the author of Feast from the Mideast.