Recipe: Bulgur Pilaf with Herb Yoghurt
This heartwarming Bulgur Pilaf with Herb Yoghurt is rich in texture and flavour
Bulgar wheat is a Middle Eastern grain with a firm texture and nutty taste. Because of its pleasing neutral flavour it pairs easily with a huge variety of sauces, spices and herbs.
Bulgar is most commonly known in Western culture as an ingredient of tabouli (Lebanese salad combining bulgar along with tomatoes, onions and parsley). There is also a Turkish version that uses the grain in a popular household dish, bulgar pilavi, or in English Bulgar Pilaf.
How to Cook Bulgar Wheat
In this recipe, bulgar wheat is used the same way rice is cooked into a risotto – but much simpler. Onion, garlic, aubergine spices, bulger and tinned tomatoes are combined in a pan and left to simmer until soft and a thick sauce has developed.
Topped with a fennel-seed-infused yoghurt, fresh fragrant herbs and crunchy chopped pistachios for texture. It’s an absolutely divine bowl of food!
Essential Cooking Techniques
The most important part of developing flavour in this pilaf is getting the aubergine texture and taste just right. First season aubergine generously with salt, fry in a good amount of oil so it doesn’t get dry and stick to the pan (remember aubergine is like a sponge). Cook slowly over medium heat, occasionally adding splashes of water. The result is delicious creamy soft aubergine full of flavour which will melt into the spiced tomato sauce.
Adding Meat to your Bulgar Pilaf
Meat lover? Then enhance this dish further by adding delicious beef or lamb mince. Fried in spices until browned and full of flavour, simply stir mince through the pilaf along with sweet and sour chopped cranberries.
Spiced minced meat adds a more juicy element with the meat fat soaking into the bulgar. Dried cranberries balance out the salty spicy flavours in the sauce resulting in a multitude of flavours complimenting each other with every mouthful.
Spiced with Baharat. What is Baharat?
Baharat quite simply in Arabic means “spices” and is an all-purpose spice blend widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine. The mix of spices varies from region to region but typically includes black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, coriander and paprika. In some areas, it is also referred to as ‘7 Spice’ which is typically a Lebanese spice blend including most of the same ingredients.
To learn more about Baharat click here:
Bulgur Pilaf with Herb Yoghurt
Ingredients
Vegetarian Bulgar Pilaf with Aubergine
Garnish
- 150 g yoghurt
- 1 tbsp toasted ground fennel
- Squeeze lemon juice
- Olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped min
- 2 Tbsp chopped dill
- Chopped pistachios
Meat Version (to add to vegetarian version above)
- 500 g minced meat
- 1 large garlic clove crushed
- 50 g dried cranberries roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp Baharat
- Salt
Instructions
- Cut aubergine into medium-sized cubes and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 10 minutes to sweat.
- Combine fennel, yoghurt and a pinch of salt. Set aside for later.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan with a good amount of oil. Fry aubergine over medium heat, occasionally adding a splash of water to help soften. When aubergine has collapsed and has a soft juicy texture, it is ready. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- Using the same pan, fry onion and garlic in a splash of oil until soft. Add baharat and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant
- Add Turkish pepper paste and fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock and bulgar wheat, stir well to combine, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn heat right down to simmer, then cover and cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
- Remove lid and stir through aubergine along with 1 tablespoon of the chopped mint and one tablespoon of the dill. Drizzle olive oil over bulgar and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Transfer to bowls and garnish with fennel yoghurt, remaining dill and mint and pistachios.
- Meat Version: After step 5 above whilst bulgar cooks, fry the beef mince, along with garlic and baharat until crispy. Season with salt.
- At step 6 above, add beef and cranberries along with aubergine and herbs. Follow steps 7 & 8 above to finish dish and garnish.
If you enjoyed this recipe you may also like:
Swiss version here: Bulgar Pilaw-Mit-Krauterjoghurt
