Do I need to rinse bulgur with water?

Bulgur is not the most popular grain on our table, but it has a lot of interesting things: from a subtle nutty taste to nutritional value and safety against diseases. Does bulgur need to be washed or soaked before cooking like other grains? Chefs answer no to both questions, and for good reason.

What is bulgur

Bulgur is pre-dried, crushed and scalded with boiling water premium wheat. The cereal has a low glycemic index and is rich in fiber, potassium, iron and magnesium. Outwardly, it resembles steamed rice. Pilaf, risotto, and soups are often prepared from bulgur.

There are three degrees of crushing bulgur: from coarse and medium, which are used for first and second courses, to fine, which is used to flavor baked goods.

Wash, soak or fry?

Since bulgur is initially produced with heat treatment (scalded with boiling water), it does not need to be washed. To obtain the most aromatic porridge, it is recommended not to wash or soak the grains, but to lightly fry them in vegetable oil. This will reveal their subtle nutty smell.

How to prepare bulgur for cooking according to the chefs' method:

Grease the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil.
Heat the beans for several minutes until a characteristic aroma appears.
Pour in cold water and let cool.
Boil the cereal.

For safety, it is still worth subjecting the grains to “water procedures” before cooking, especially if they were sold by weight. Along with the kernel, the bag may contain not only dust and dirt, but also large debris. If the bulgur is packaged in portioned bags for cooking, the cereal is pure.

Rinse the cereal in cold water until it becomes clear. After this, if you have time, dry the grains and heat them in a frying pan with oil.

Miss Clean magazine found that soaking bulgur is not necessary, as it already boils quickly. It would be a good idea to keep the crushed grain in water for about half an hour to neutralize the effect of the antinutrients in the composition.

The best bulgur recipes

With chicken and vegetables

To prepare an incredibly tasty, healthy and, most importantly, low-calorie dish you will need:

bulgur – 1 tbsp.;
water – 2 tbsp.;
chicken fillet – 400-500 g;
onions – 2 pcs. (small);
pepper – 1 pc. medium size;
tomatoes – 2 pcs. (average);
spices and salt to taste.

Wash the fillet thoroughly, dry with a paper towel, cut into medium-sized pieces. Lightly fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil. Finely chop the onion and saute it. Peel the washed pepper and cut into small cubes (we cut tomatoes in the same way). Add vegetables and half-cooked chicken to onions.

It's time to tackle the grains. To wash it or not to wash it is a matter of taste. The main thing is to lightly fry with oil. Then add the bulgur to the chicken and vegetables and cover the ingredients with water. Add salt and spices. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and leave the dish to “rest” for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Tabbouleh salad

This salad is incredibly popular in the Middle East, where bulgur is widely used in cooking. To prepare the dish you will need only a few ingredients:

bulgur (medium/fine grind) – 1 tbsp.;
juice of half a lemon;
fresh parsley - a good bunch;
tomatoes – 2 pcs. (medium size);
olive oil;
green onions, salt, spices to taste.

Wash the cereal if necessary. Lightly fry in vegetable oil. If you take a finely ground product, it is better not to cook it, but simply steam it with boiling water. If it is medium grind, boil it in any convenient way. Prepare a dressing with olive oil and lemon juice. Cut the fresh tomato into small cubes, finely chop the onion and herbs. Add all ingredients to the prepared bulgur. Season with lemon-olive mixture. Serve in a clay/wooden plate.

Cooking cereal

For preparation, use the proportions of grain and water 1:2. This applies to both the slow cooker and the saucepan. The average cooking time is 10-15 minutes after boiling. For a multicooker, use the “buckwheat porridge” mode. When adding to soups, keep in mind that bulgur boils approximately 2.5 times.

By the way, if you cook with frying, you can do it in one container. Pour oil into a saucepan, heat and hold the bulgur for 1.5-2 minutes, then add boiling water and bring to readiness.

When the bulgur is ripe, do not rush to remove it from the dish. Cover with a lid and let the porridge sit for 15 minutes. It will be even tastier this way.

Source

Rules for preparing and cooking cereals

Bulgur was especially popular among peoples leading a nomadic lifestyle, as it could be quickly and easily prepared even in the field.

It’s not at all difficult to prepare it deliciously; it’s important to know only a few nuances of this process:

It is better to boil cereals in a large container, since when cooked they increase in size by about 2-2.5 times;
it is important to maintain a balance of water and boiled grains - the liquid should be twice as much as the cereal (for 1 cup of grains - 2 cups of water);
Before cooking, the cereal is steamed with warm or hot water;
all seasonings and spices are added at the end of cooking;
In terms of time, the bulgur is cooked for an average of 15-20 minutes over low heat, while all the liquid should evaporate;
some sources claim that cereals do not need to be washed, however, it is still better to wash bulgur, like any other cereal (rice, buckwheat);
ready-made bulgur is served as a separate dish, or included in other dishes (pilaf, porridge, salads);
the cereal goes well with different types of meat - turkey, beef, chicken, lamb (with lamb you get real Bedouin pilaf), as well as with vegetables;
The taste of bulgur is perfectly emphasized by various spices - turmeric, cumin, ground pepper.

To make the cereal crumbly and not stick together, it must first be prepared. To do this, the grains are either pre-fried in a frying pan or soaked in water.

Soak

This method of preparation allows you to preserve all the nutrients and trace elements present in the cereal grains. For soaking, choose a large metal or ceramic container.

Further:

Pour bulgur into a container and fill it with warm water. Liquid for soaking is taken 1.5 times more than cereal.
Cover the container with cereal and water with a lid and cover with a towel.
In this form, allow the cereal to brew for at least 30 minutes. If you leave the grain to soak for a longer time, it will steam and will not require cooking.

Thus, it is convenient to prepare bulgur for salads or side dishes without cooking.

Roasting

When bulgur is fried in a frying pan, all its rich aroma and taste are revealed. After such heat treatment, it acquires a nutty flavor and perfectly complements meat dishes. Most often, bulgur is prepared this way before preparing pilaf.

Before cooking bulgur, you can fry it.

They do it like this:

Heat the frying pan over fairly high heat with the addition of oil. To fry bulgur, it is better to use butter, since vegetable oils (olive and sunflower) do not allow the nutty aroma of bulgur to fully develop and interrupt it. You don’t need to take a lot of oil – 10-15 g is enough.
Pour the cereal into a heated frying pan and stir constantly with a wooden spatula.
When a nutty smell appears, turn off the fire.

After this treatment, it is much easier to cook crumbly bulgur with a bright nutty taste in a pan.

Technology

In order to properly cook bulgur, you need to consider the following - how to calculate the required amount of water (proportions) and how long to cook?
Focus on the ratio of 1:2 (for 1 glass of cereal, take 2 glasses of water, and you need to add hot water, not cold). How long does it take to cook bulgur? When starting to cook this cereal, keep in mind that it is very soft (it can increase in size by 2-3 times). Therefore, cooking utensils should be selected of the appropriate size .

Recipe for cooking in different ways

In the microwave . Place the cereal (if you use pre-fried cereal, the taste will be more intense) in a glass or ceramic bowl, add water and salt. Keep it at maximum power for 2-3 minutes in a tightly closed container, and then you can simply leave the container with the cereal in the microwave for another 10-15 minutes.
In a saucepan . Pour water and salt over the cereal, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and keep it low for 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed (the pan should be tightly closed).
In a slow cooker . If you prefer cooking in a slow cooker, then lay out the bulgur, add water and salt. Select the “Grain/Rice” or “Pilaf” cooking mode by setting the timer for 30 minutes.

Turkish cuisine is famous for its meat dishes: kebabs (cauldron kebab, with potatoes, doner, iskander), lula.

Useful video

Cooking bulgur in the microwave is shown in the video:

Watch the video of cooking bulgur in a slow cooker:

Cooking cereal

By the way, if you cook with frying, you can do it in one container. Pour oil into a saucepan, heat and hold the bulgur for 1.5-2 minutes, then add boiling water and bring to readiness.

When the bulgur is ripe, do not rush to remove it from the dish. Cover with a lid and let the porridge sit for 15 minutes. It will be even tastier this way.

Spices and food compatibility

Bulgur, as you know, is cooked for use as a side dish in a variety of main courses, as well as an original component in soups, salads and desserts. Cereals go well with various oils and spices, especially rosemary, thyme, marjoram (it is better to use fresh herbs), as well as cardamom and cinnamon sticks. We do not recommend using tarragon in the process of preparing bulgur: its tart taste will overpower the delicate nutty aroma of the cereal and give it an unpleasant hint of bitterness.

As for foods, bulgur does not go well with everyone. So, it is better to avoid mixing this cereal with eggs, beets, potatoes, and cabbage (white/cauliflower) in a dish. It is also undesirable to combine it with dried fruits, since such a mixture causes strong fermentation in the intestines.

How to cook bulgur?

Do I need to rinse bulgur before cooking? Unlike other grains, bulgur does not need to be washed before cooking .

Important! If you are still used to rinsing the cereal before cooking, then you should rinse it under running water, place it in a sieve, and then dry it slightly - this will make the cereal more crumbly.

There are several features of preparing a side dish. By the way, we won’t be able to make the usual porridge from bulgur - it never boils down to the point of “smear”.

Before cooking, cereals can be prepared in several ways .

Pre-soak . This method is considered the most acceptable and “healthy” processing method. To do this, the cereal must be placed in a large container and filled with hot water (the volume of water must be 1.5-2 times the volume of the cereal). It is left soaked for half an hour, after which you can proceed directly to cooking. Less commonly used is the steaming method, when the cereal is left soaked for 1 hour, and after that it is no longer cooked.
Pre-fry . This method gives bulgur a special taste. During the process of frying in oil, the cereal acquires a special nutty taste and smell that goes perfectly with meat dishes. Frying can be done in a frying pan with a small amount of oil, or in a specially prepared pan, which is preheated well with 1 tablespoon of oil (you can use either vegetable or butter).

Housewives take note: bulgur with chicken, with vegetables, salad, with mushrooms, etc.

How to cook bulgur correctly, watch the video:

How to cook bulgur in a frying pan?

A dish prepared according to this recipe will be evenly cooked and tasty:

Take bell peppers, onions and cut them into cubes.
Peel and chop the garlic.
Place 2 tbsp in a frying pan. l. cream and 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oils.
Fry the onion a little, and then add bell pepper and garlic to it.
Remove the skin from the tomatoes (2 pcs.), grind them through a sieve or on a grater, add to the pan along with 1 tsp. tomato paste.
Pour hot water (50 ml) into the ingredients, simmer them for 5 minutes, cover the container with a lid and turn the heat to low.
Add two glasses of hot water, ground black pepper, and salt.
Immediately add one glass of pre-soaked cereal and mix the ingredients.
Cover the pan with a lid and let the dish simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the stove without removing the lid, leave it for another quarter of an hour to let the dish steep.
You can serve it as a side dish for meat and fish, garnished with fresh herbs.

Eugen