Bulgur – versatile and tasty
It doesn't always have to be rice: In addition to couscous, quinoa or millet, bulgur is also more common on our table. Bulgur is a precooked wheat and is a staple food in Turkey and the Middle East. The coarsely ground grain is easy to prepare and tastes delicious both as a main course with vegetables, as an accompaniment to meat or even as a dessert. Because the wheat is carefully ground and pre-cooked, it is healthy and rich in nutrients. Bulgur also keeps you full for a long time as it contains a lot of fiber. Bulgur is available in packaged bags in stores all year round. An opened package should be transferred to a dry, opaque can and used soon.
Bulgur salad
When many people think of bulgur, they first think of tabouleh, the traditional salad from Lebanese cuisine. The bulgur is first sautéed with olive oil and onion, then left to soak for a few minutes along with the vegetable stock over medium heat. Before the bulgur salad with tomato, cucumber, paprika, mint and parsley comes on the table, it has to sit for an hour – so plan enough time! To the recipe: Tabouleh Salad
Bulgur versus couscous – what's the difference?
There is a lot of confusion around the difference between bulgur and couscous. For couscous, cereal grains (wheat, barley or millet) ground into semolina are moistened and grated. In contrast, bulgur is made from coarsely ground wheat grains. To do this, the grains are first soaked and steamed. Then they are air-dried and ground. This way, many nutrients are retained during manufacture.
Hardly any fat, but a lot of protein and fiber
Bulgur not only contains a lot of fiber, but also a lot of vegetable protein and very little fat. Bulgur is not gluten-free, however. Instead, it contains B vitamins, vitamin E, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium, making it ideal for a balanced, vegetarian diet. You can't save calories with bulgur: 100 grams of bulgur (unprocessed) have about 360 calories, after swelling there are still about 110 calories. But it's healthy calories that keep us full for a long time.
What dishes can I prepare with bulgur?
Bulgur is relatively tasteless and therefore fits into both sweet and salty recipes. Bulgur recipes come in a wide variety of variations: Bulgur can be cooked with vegetables or meat, served as a side dish similar to rice, or prepared as a bulgur salad. It is often served with tomatoes, feta and cumin. Bulgur is also great in soups or sweet casseroles – vegetarians and vegans can also enjoy one or the other delicious recipe with bulgur.
How do I prepare bulgur?
Bulgur is usually pre-cooked. This means that bulgur can be left to soak in hot water or vegetable broth for around 20 minutes – and then processed further, for example into a delicious tabouleh salad or in a vegetable pan. Bulgur can also be soaked in cold water. However, you have to plan eight to twelve hours for this. Since bulgur absorbs a lot of water when it swells, its volume increases. You should therefore only plan about three tablespoons for one serving. Here you will learn step by step how to cook bulgur.