v:gourmet

Making wheat into bulghur is an ancient process that originated in the Mediterranean region and has been an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine for thousands of years. They say that in approximately 2,800 B.C., the Chinese emperor Shen Nung declared it one of five sacred crops along with rice, millet, barley and soybeans, and historical references indicate it was prepared by ancient Babylonians, Hittites and Hebrew populations some 4,000 years ago. The Roman word for it was cerealis; Israelites called it dagan. Other Middle Easterners called it arisah. And it’s been variously know as burghul, burghoul, balgour and boulgur. By any name you call it, it’s a solid, nutritious base for this walnut-red-pepper-type-tabbouleh with hints of smoky paprika and the always welcome freshness of herbs like dill, mint and parsley.

1 cup medium-course bulghur

2 cups water

6 spring onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, roasted or raw, minced finely

3 red peppers, roasted, seeded, skinned, and diced

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsps tomato paste

4 tbsps olive oil

1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped finely

3 tbsps roughly chopped parsley

2 tbsps roughly chopped mint

1 tbsp roughly chopped dill

sea salt and pepper to taste

Place bulghur and water in a pot and place on high heat. Once water comes to a boil, turn heat down and let simmer until bulghur is cooked. Drain if necessary and place cooked bulghur in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well and season.

Adapted from Casa Moro by Sam and Sam Clark