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Bulgur appears on our tables more and more often and has already ceased to seem like something unusual. In order to understand how to cook bulgur, you first need to figure out what it is. Bulgur groats are native to the Middle East, where they have been widely used to prepare various dishes since time immemorial. Bulgur is made from wheat, which is pretreated with steam, then dried and crushed. It turns out a cereal of a golden hue with different fractions of grains, which, when cooked, swell and increase in size. From 100 grams of dry cereal, about 300 grams of porridge is obtained.
In cooking, bulgur is often substituted for rice in dishes, for example, on its basis excellent friable cereals, pilaf and even desserts are obtained. Bulgur goes well with all types of meat, fish and vegetables. Also in the east widespread salad “Tabule”, which includes a large amount of fresh vegetables, vegetable oil and bulgur.
Do not confuse bulgur with couscous or with ordinary crushed wheat that has not undergone heat treatment. By its taste, bulgur is very different from these products.
This yellow “sunny” cereal is rich in B vitamins and fiber, and also contains large amounts of magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. It is an excellent source of slow carbohydrates and has a low glycemic index. Even with preliminary frying of bulgur, GI does not rise above 48 (45-48), and during cooking it even decreases to 35, due to preliminary soaking in water before cooking, for which it is appreciated in cooking and nutrition. For comparison, the glycemic index of white milled rice is about 70 units.
Despite the rather low GI, this porridge is absolutely contraindicated for people with gluten intolerance or cereal allergy.
Bulgur species and cooking time
It would seem that it is ordinary steamed and crushed durum wheat, but it can also be different! Bulgur is of different sizes and the taste of the dish and the method of preparation largely depend on it. Small fraction bulgur is added to baked goods, it gives a nutty flavor and crunches pleasantly. Salads are prepared from the middle fraction, steaming cereals for several hours with boiling water, and bulgur of a large fraction is perfect for pilaf and various side dishes for meat.
Cereals for porridge or pilaf are not washed before cooking, sometimes they are fried in a large amount of oil, and then poured with boiling water and boiled or simmered at a constant temperature. Bulgur is also perfectly cooked in a slow cooker. There are usually no special difficulties with the preparation of cereals.
How long to cook bulgur
If you need to cook bulgur, take a saucepan, add a glass of cereal, fill with two glasses of water, cover and cook for 10 minutes under the lid. When it boils, reduce the heat by half and simmer for another 10 minutes without stirring. In total, it will take you 20 minutes to cook.
If you want to steam bulgur, then take two glasses of boiling water in a glass of cereal, tightly cover the pan with a lid and wrap it with a towel. Bulgur of a large fraction will be ready in a couple of hours, small bulgur – faster, about 40 minutes.
Here are 3 recipes with bulgur that we really liked and we cooked them.
Pilot from Bulgur
Making pilaf from bulgur is no more difficult than from ordinary rice. And in some moments it is even easier. If you observe all the proportions of cereals and water, pilaf will certainly turn out to be crumbly and fragrant. Bulgur is a cereal with a neutral taste, it absorbs the aromas of the products with which it is cooked, so do not spare spices and garlic. Add what you love.
You can cook pilaf with bulgur from any meat: from chicken and turkey, you get less fatty and dietary, and from pork and lamb it is more fatty and closer to the classic version. On the days of fasting, meat can be replaced with champignons, oyster mushrooms or forest mushrooms. In this article, we will look at the classic version of cooking pilaf with pork.
Ingredients:
- Bulgur – 200 gr.
- Pork – 400 gr.
- Water (boiling water) – 400 ml.
- Carrots – 1 pieces.
- Luk – 1 No.
- Tomato – 2 pcs.
- Sunflower oil – 2 tablespoon
- Spices (you can take a ready-made mixture for pilaf, or you can mix black and red ground pepper, nutmeg, barberry, curry and other favorite spices)
- Salt (to taste) – 1/2 tsp
- Greens (for serving) – 10 gr.
How to cook:
- We will start cooking with the preparation of vegetables: you need to grate the carrots and finely chop the onion. Chop the tomatoes at random.
- Cut the meat into cubes.
- Sauté the onions, carrots and tomatoes in one tablespoon of oil, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the remaining oil into another skillet and add the spices. Heat oil and spices for a minute. This is necessary so that the spices give the aroma to the oil and the meat turns out to be tender and tasty, and the cereals are more aromatic.
- Add diced meat to butter and spices. Fry until golden brown.
- Add sauteed vegetables to the meat and add bulgur on top. Pour in water. It must be boiling water – this is a must.
- Then cover everything and reduce heat to medium. Do not stir. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Then open the lid, stir and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes.
Undoubtedly, there are many options for preparing such pilaf. You can cook pilaf in a cauldron, in a saucepan on the stove, in the oven or in a slow cooker. The cooking principle does not change (calorizator). The ratio of cereals and water is 1 to 2 for a crumbly consistency, it is desirable that the dishes for cooking are thick-bottomed. When cooking, use boiling water, then nothing will boil down, will not turn into porridge and will cook well. Pilaf can be supplemented with any greens and fresh vegetables. For fatter lovers, use fattier meats, and turkey for the dietary option.
Replacing rice in pilaf with bulgur is a great idea from a nutritional point of view. The glycemic index of bulgur is lower than that of rice, there is practically no starch in it, several times more fiber and useful microelements.
Tabbouleh salad
Bulgur of the middle fraction is suitable for cooking Tabule salad. You can take a large one, but then you have to cook it, because you can’t do it with steaming alone. And also the most common vegetables that can be found in any refrigerator will do. The salad turns out to be hearty and tasty. Suitable for any meal and vegetarian diet as it is cooked without meat.
Ingredients:
- Bulgur – 150 gr.
- Water (boiling water) – 300 ml.
- Tomatoes – 2 pieces.
- Green onions – 5 gr.
- Olive oil – 50 gr.
- Lemon juice – 1 tablespoons
- Greens (dill, parsley, cilantro) – 30 gr.
- Mint – 20 gr.
- Salt (to taste) – 1/2 tsp
- Ground black pepper – 1/4 tsp
How to cook:
- The first step is to prepare the bulgur. The salad is served cold, so the cereal should cool down. Depending on the size of the fraction, pour boiling water over the cereal and leave for a couple of hours or boil until tender for about 20 minutes.
- Chop the tomatoes and parsley.
- Chop the mint leaves very finely with a knife.
- Mix olive oil with lemon juice, add mint – the dressing is ready.
- Put bulgur in a deep salad bowl, add greens and tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, add dressing and stir. A hearty and delicious salad is ready!
From a nutritional and nutritional point of view, salad is very useful. It is high in slow carbs and fiber, and unrefined olive oil is a source of healthy fats. Thus, you get a perfectly balanced and tasty meal.
Bulgur on milk with berries
You can also cook sweet dishes from bulgur. You can cook porridge in milk, you can add bulgur to baked goods, you can make sweet pilaf with dried fruits and nuts.
We bring to your attention a delicious bulgur recipe for breakfast. Optionally, you can add honey or another sweetener to it, and replace the berries with chocolate or nuts.
Ingredients:
- Bulgur – 100 gr.
- Milk – 200 ml.
- Berries (to taste) – 50 gr.
How to cook:
Start preparing this breakfast in the evening. Heat a glass of milk until hot, but do not boil, pour bulgur and leave to cool. When it has completely cooled down, put it in the refrigerator overnight, and in the morning, decorate the resulting milk porridge with berries. That’s all. A healthy breakfast rich in fiber and slow carbs.
Observing the proportions of cereals and liquid, be it water or milk, with a little culinary imagination, you can get a lot of healthy and tasty dishes from bulgur. It is also worth saying that the cereal will delight you with its taste, choosing it in the store, pay attention to the shelf life and appearance of the cereal (calorizer). It should be golden in color, crumbly, without darkening and traces of dampness and mold. At home, bulgur, like any other cereal, is best kept in a glass jar, under a tightly closed lid.
Be sure to include bulgur in your diet! It is very useful and will help to diversify the daily menu.