Plain Bulgur Pilaf Recipes

TURKISH BULGUR PILAF RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the bulgur in a bowl and rinse a few times. Set it aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion until translucent and then add the minced garlic. Cook for a minute.
• Add in the diced green pepper and cook for a few minutes until it softens.
• Add in the chopped tomatoes and stir well. Cook until they start releasing their juice.
• Add the tomato paste and stir well so it combines with the other ingredients.
• Add the salt and pepper and add in the rinsed bulgur. Stir well.
• Turn the heat to medium high and add in the water. Once it comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes until the water is almost completely evaporated.
• Wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Turn the heat to medium low and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Turn the heat off the let the bulgur sit for 5 minutes untouched, then fluff it with a fork and serve.

TURKISH BULGUR PILAF RECIPE

Steps:

• Saute onion and tomato paste: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in onion and green pepper and saute until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add in tomato paste and stir constantly for a minute or so.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients: Add in ground cumin, bulgur, tomatoes, chickpeas, and water (or stock). Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir & Bring it to a boil: Give it a stir, bring it to a boil, put the lid on, turn down the heat to low. Let it simmer for 10-12 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Let it rest & serve: Off the heat, allow it to rest for 10 minutes (with the lid on), fluff it with a fork, garnish with parsley, and serve.

BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Base: Heat oil over medium heat in a large saute pan or pot. Add onion, garlic, pepper, and roma tomatoes, cooking until pepper is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Bulgur: Add bulgur and water, stir to combine, cover, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender (add more water ½ cup at a time if bulgur is still tough). Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve: Warm or cold, optionally topped with olives, sliced red onion, parsley, slivered almonds, or feta cheese.

SIMPLE BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and saute onions until soft.
• Turn heat up to high and add mushrooms, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are cooked and nicely browned.
• Add bulgur, stir and cook briefly, 1-2 minutes.
• Add water, mix once, then cover and cook over low heat until all water is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
• Fluff briefly before serving.

PLAIN BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Bring the water or stock to the boil in a large pan and pour in the bulgur. Add salt and pepper (taking into account the saltiness of the stock) and cook, covered, over low heat for 10-15 minutes, until it is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, adding a little water if it becomes too dry.
• Stir in the butter or oil and leave off heat, covered, for 15 minutes, to allow the wheat to swell and become tender before serving.
• Variations
• For a grand and delicious pilaf, stir in 2-3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds and 2 tablespoons raisins when you pour in the bulgur.
• For burghul bil shaghria, use half the amount of bulgur with 1/2 pound dry vermicelli broken into small pieces in your hands and toasted in a dry frying pan or under the broiler, stirring often, until browned.

SPICED BULGUR PILAF WITH FISH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a lidded flameproof casserole dish. Tip in the onions and cook for 10 mins until soft and golden. Add the carrots and cumin, and cook for 2 mins more. Stir through the harissa, bulgur and apricots, pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 7 mins.
• Add the spinach and stir through until just wilted. Arrange the fish fillets on top, pop a slice of lemon on each and season. Replace the lid and cook for 8 mins, keeping over a low-ish heat.
• Turn heat to low and cook for 7-8 mins more until the fish is cooked through and the bulgur is tender. Season with pepper and serve.

BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Cook onion in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wrap coriander seeds in a clean kitchen towel and coarsely crush by pressing with flat side of a large heavy knife.
• Add coriander and bulgur to onion and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in hot water, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, until bulgur is softened, about 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in almonds, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TOASTED-BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bulgur, and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir together toasted bulgur, stock, 3/4 cup water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick (or, if desired, leave in as a garnish). Stir in almonds and oil; season with salt and pepper.

BULGUR PILAF WITH CHICKPEAS AND HERBS

Steps:

• Drain the soaked chickpeas, and place in a pot with 1 quart water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the chickpeas are tender.
• Place the bulgur in a 2-quart bowl. Place a strainer over the bowl, and drain the chickpeas so that the hot broth covers the bulgur. Set the chickpeas aside. Cover the bowl, and allow the bulgur to sit until fluffy, about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and press out excess liquid.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the scallions. Cook, stirring, until tender, two or three minutes. Stir in the garlic, and continue to cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the bulgur and chickpeas. Add the herbs and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and toss together. Remove from the heat, add lemon juice and pepper, taste and adjust salt. Add more lemon juice if desired. Serve hot or room temperature.

PLAIN BULGUR

Steps:

• *Cooked: Add bulgur to water bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes till liquid is absorbed, fluff with fork.
• Soaked: place bulgur and boiling water in bowl. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

GREEK BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium size skillet over medium high heat. Add the bulgur and onion and sauté until both are translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the stock, (or vegetable stock, or a mixture of 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste) bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer until the bulgur is just tender and all the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Serves 4.
• NOTE: If you wish to increase the quantity, just remember that you need 1 1/2 times as much liquid as bulgur. Be sure also to increase the amount of olive oil and onion as you increase the bulgur and stock.
• The Olive and The Caper.

FRUIT AND NUT BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook and stir bulgur until toasted. Stir in salt, pepper and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until tender and liquid is almost absorbed, 10-12 minutes., Stir in 1/3 cup each of the almonds, raisins, cranberries and apricots. Serve with the remaining almonds and fruit.

BULGUR PILAF

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook almonds in oil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Remove almonds from skillet.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the onion and carrot to skillet. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Stir in broth, bulgur and lemon pepper seasoning salt. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until bulgur is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in almonds and parsley.

BULGUR PILAF WITH DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS

Steps:

• Place the apricots and prunes in a bowl, cover with water and soak overnight or for several hours. Place a strainer over a bowl, and drain the dried fruit. Cut in thin slices.
• Measure out 2 cups of the soaking water (or add enough water to make 2 cups), and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the bulgur, and stir constantly for a few minutes until the bulgur smells toasty. Add the salt, dried fruit and water, and bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for eight to 10 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, cover with a clean dish towel and place a lid over the towel. Allow the bulgur to sit for 15 minutes.
• Spoon the bulgur into a serving dish, top with the nuts and serve with plain yogurt on the side.

BULGUR WHEAT PILAF

Steps:

• Place bulgur in a heat-proof bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over it. Let stand for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until most of the water is absorbed by the wheat. Drain.
• Heat oil in saucepan. Saute onion for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, salt, pepper. Saute for 10 seconds.
• Stir the drained bulgur wheat into the onion mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes. The excess moisture will cook away and then the wheat will begin to brown and become fluffy.
• Add in the frozen peas. Mix well and cook for about 1 minute longer. Stir in the butter.
• Serve immediately.