Bulgur is probably the oldest semi-finished product invented by mankind. We read in Wikipedia that it is mentioned in the Old Testament, and the earliest find dates back to the 6th millennium BC (the boundary of the Mesolithic and Neolithic: the birth of agriculture, the formation of the Black Sea).
Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – April 06, 2021 – Kitchen
In short, bulgur (in the Middle East – burghul or Burgelo) – is cooked, then dried in the sun, and cleaned of bran wheat grains. With this treatment, the starch in the grain turns to stone and becomes inedible to pests, so that in a dry climate bulgur can be stored almost forever. In addition, the taste of cereals after such processing becomes richer.
Bulgur pilaf (saw) is considered a Turkish national dish. But I, though oshpaz (a specialist in cooking Uzbek pilaf) with considerable experience, met bulgur recently: in Uzbekistan bulgur is not in vogue. Treated Turkish colleagues – delicious! But the technology is not shared. And I decided to cook bulgur pilaf according to the Uzbek technology – this is when the dish is cooked in one pot (and not in several vessels) with the gradual addition of ingredients. A good crumbly pilaf seems to have come out on the fourth try. As it turned out, bulgur – especially after mandatory soaking – requires two times less water than rice.
Ingredients:
700 g of bulgur
500 g of meat
500 g carrots
400 ml of oil
3 medium bulbs
salt to taste
Of the spices in this version, only saffron is appropriate. It should be rubbed with salt in a small amount of water and poured into the pot before closing for steaming.
How to cook
So, cut carrots into large straws, onions – thin half-rings, meat – pieces of walnut, or a little more. Heat 400 ml of oil in a cauldron, preferably cotton in half with melted beef or lamb (chicken, goose, etc.) fat – so less trans fat is formed.
Heat the fat to a bluish haze and carefully immerse in it cut into small pieces of meat: lamb or beef (500 g or slightly more). Fry until ruddy crust. Add onion and caramelize until golden.
Next – the turn of carrots: fry until dark. Do not forget to stir our roast with a spatula or skimmer. And fill it with water, but so as to only slightly cover the contents of the pot. Add salt to taste and leave to bubble on low heat for 25-30 minutes. At this time, soak 700 grams of bulgur of the largest fraction (and it, note, is divided into fractions) in water at room temperature for about half an hour. We try “on a tooth”, and if we do not find in a grain of stone hardness, then it is time to start work.
Discard soaked bulgur in a colander, wash. Under the pot, reduce the heat to low and spread an even layer of our bulgur on top of the sauce (nirvana). Add boiling water so that the bulgur is covered by literally 2-3 millimeters, no more. We give the maximum fire, add salt and allow the water to absorb and boil, well, almost completely (the main thing is not to burn). Stir the bulgur lightly during cooking.
When the water is absorbed into the cereal and partially evaporates, collect the bulgur tuber, cover with a plate, then cover the pot with a lid and let our pilaf evaporate for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and wait another 5-10 minutes. I’ve seen Turkish chefs wrap the lid of a pan with towels so that not a drop of condensate falls on the bulgur or rice that is being cooked, but I assure you, this is an extra precaution or just a tradition – just a plate that you put on the bulgur before covering lid cauldron.
And here’s a confusing moment: lift the lid of the pot, remove the plate from the bulgur … It worked! Beautiful, crumbly, and incredibly tasty.
Carefully mix (in some regions of Turan, for example, in Samarkand, do not mix) the contents of the pot and carefully spread on a plate.
From the first time the pilaf from the bulgur may not turn out crumbly – so the next time after laying the bulgur in the pot, pour less water. Or do not pour at all. With experience comes quality. I wish you success in mastering the art of cooking!
Read also: The Simple Recipe of Delicious Banana Pudding
Source: Ukrgate