Bulgur & Beet Salad
Bulgur–or cracked wheat–is commonly used in Mediterranean salads and side dishes. It’s also a great addition to soups and stews (use it as you would barley) and as a cold cereal (much like oats). This versatile, nutty grain needs to be soaked for about an hour before using; although the package directions say 30 minutes, it’s still quite crunchy at that point. The best option is to soak the bulgur overnight in a mixture of water and yogurt (do not refrigerate!) to soften it and make its nutrients more available to our monogastric stomachs.
Note: ruminants like cows and goats digest grains by fermenting them in gastric “holding tanks,” but since we don’t have that ability, the next best thing to do is break down the grains by soaking, fermenting, and/or sprouting them before we eat them. About 1 T. of plain, unsweetened whole Greek yogurt per cup of water should do the trick–just make sure that the grains are completely covered with liquid. (A squeeze of lemon or raw cider vinegar into the water can stand in for yogurt if you’d prefer not to use dairy.) The next day, simply pour off the liquid…or use it to cook the grains, adding more water if necessary.
This salad is a simple combination of bulgur, sliced radishes, pickled beets, and romanesco broccoli (a cross between broccoli and cauliflower), tossed with a dressing made of olive oil, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, cilantro, cumin, and a pinch of allspice. (You could also opt for a simple balsamic-and-olive-oil version.) The hardiness of bulgur also makes it ideal for meat salads–toss with cooked ground lamb and berbere for an Ethopian flair, or with lamb and dash of curry powder for a taste of India.
And if you have bulgur leftover, don’t worry–it makes a much more satisfying and MUCH healthier breakfast than a pre-packaged dry cereal. Just add good-quality whole milk (i.e., milk from pastured cows), a splash of Grade B maple syrup, and a dusting of cinnamon. You’ll never want Lucky Charms again!
Note: for those who are avoiding gluten, quinoa also makes a great breakfast cereal.
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Tags: beets, bulgur, middle eastern, salad
