What is burghul?
Burghul, also known as bulgur wheat, is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisines that most people would recognise speckled through their fragrant bowl of tabbouleh. The burghul you would buy from a store is made from the parboiled, crushed and dried whole grains (groats) of durum wheat and is sold graded by size of the grain, from fine to coarse. Easy to cook and with a mild, nutty flavour, burghul is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide range of dishes.
How to cook burghul
Since it’s already been cooked, simply soaking the burghul in water until it is tender and giving it a quick rinse is all that’s needed. Simply stir soaked burghul through chopped parsley, mint, tomato, and onion for a traditional tabbouleh, or add to other salads for a subtle nutty flavour and tender bite. For example, this delicious salad of chicken, burghul and pomegranate.
Of course, salad is not the only place where we might see burghul. It’s also a key ingredient in kibbeh – where it’s soaked and combined with finely ground mince and spices. Balls of kibbeh are stuffed with a seasoned mix of vegetables and nuts and then fried, or the kibbeh mixture can be baked in a pan like this kibbeh recipe with tomato and pomegranate salad.
Burghul makes a tasty swap for any recipe that calls for couscous or quinoa. It can even be cooked as porridge, and behaves much the same way as steel-cut oats. Burghul can also be used in pilaf dishes in place of rice, where it’s cooked in a mix of chicken stock, herbs, spices, and vegetables.
How to store burghul
Dried burghul can be stored for up to 12 months in an airtight container. Once soaked, it’s best to serve burghul immediately and refrigerate leftovers for up to two days.
