Bulgur - what kind of cereal is it. Recipes for delicious cooking and how much to cook bulgur in a saucepan or slow cooker

It is believed that bulgur has been used for cooking for about 4000 years. This product is the most popular in many Mediterranean countries, in the Balkans, as well as in India, Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is valued for its ease of storage, interesting taste and useful properties. But on the territory of Russia, it is not so well known, it is even considered an exotic product, so it is worth understanding what bulgur is and what is its value.

What it is?

Bulgur is nothing exotic product, and the wheat, which was harvested during its "milk" ripening, was steamed, dried under the sun, cleaned of the remnants of the shells and detailed into small fractions. It is steaming and drying that give cereals special taste and an aroma somewhat reminiscent of a nut.

Bulgur analogues include barley groats, but unlike the eastern cereal, barley is not steamed. Also, wheat groats can have three degrees of crushing: fine (for baking), medium (for soups and cereals) and coarse grinding(for pilaf).

How to cook bulgur

Cooking bulgur is quite simple, first of all it is overcooked in any oil, and then the cereal is boiled in plain water until ready. The proportions of the ingredients depend on the desired thickness of the dish, while bulgur does not need to be washed with water either before or after boiling.

Wheat groats can become a good analogue of rice groats, but unlike rice grains, bulgur grains do not stick to each other and do not boil soft. Groats can be served as independent dish, so add it meat dishes. Cutlets come out of it very tasty and satisfying, they also put it in salads, soups, stuff vegetables with it. You can use bulgur for desserts, it harmonizes perfectly with honey and nuts. Sweets are high-calorie, but very healthy and tasty.

Bulgur benefits and harms

Bulgur, like many other products, has its positive and negative sides. The value of cereals lies in the fact that it contains vitamins and microelements important for the human body - these are B vitamins, as well as vitamin PP, E and K. Microelements are calcium, iron, zinc, manganese and other substances.

Invaluable help is brought by such components of cereals as saturated fatty acids, saccharides, ash substances and, most importantly, fiber, thanks to which the intestines are cleansed of toxins, toxins and other deposits that poison the body.

Nutrients in bulgur have a beneficial effect on the functioning nervous system, thanks to B vitamins, as well as in its composition there are mineral salts, due to which metabolism is regenerated, bones are strengthened, and hair and skin are filled with vitality.
Bulgur is especially useful for those who are engaged in heavy mental and physical labor. It is useful to include such cereals in the diet of athletes. Croup is well digested, transfers to the body all its nutritional properties and charges it with energy for 6 hours.

If a person is healthy and does not adhere to special meals, then bulgur is not contraindicated for him. Those who want to lose weight should use such cereals with caution, since among other cereals familiar to us, bulgur is the leader in calories. Refrain from wheat groats worth it for people suffering from diseases of the stomach and intestinal tract, since the fiber included in its composition can bring both benefit and harm.

Recipe for bulgur with vegetables

If someone managed to visit Turkey, then you could not notice that bulgur is sold even in the most provincial shop. We consider such cereal exquisite product, but the Turks cook it often and a lot.

Ingredients:

185 g bulgur;
one onion and carrots;
one tomato;
five garlic cloves;
Bell pepper;
salt, pepper, seasonings (for pilaf).

Cooking method:

Cauldron (pot with a thick bottom) put on fire, pour in vegetable oil and you can put a little butter. Fall asleep chopped onion, carrot and two cloves spicy vegetable. Stew vegetables, but do not fry until golden.
As soon as the ingredients become soft, add the cubes of sweet pepper, simmer until soft, and then spread the chopped tomato.
After the tomato starts the juice, add all the spices, you can put a bay leaf and a spoonful of tomato paste, if you want the dish to turn out with a rich tomato flavor.
Now we fall asleep bulgur together with the remaining chopped garlic cloves, do not mix the grits, but simply pour in water so that it completely covers the grains, cover with a lid and simmer until the liquid has completely evaporated. For the first 20 minutes, it is advisable not to look into the cauldron so that valuable steam does not leave.
As soon as all the liquid boils away, mix the cereal with vegetables, leave for 10 minutes and you can serve the dish to the table.

Delicious bulgur pilaf

Wheat groats go well with vegetables, fish and meat. It can be a good substitute for rice and serve as the basis for cooking pilaf. For pilaf, you can take pork, beef or cook bulgur with chicken.

Ingredients:

825 g pork;
two large onions;
two medium carrots;
325 g bulgur;
a head of garlic;
hot peppers(fresh or dried);
a spoonful of barberry (dried);
a spoonful of zira;
a spoonful of seasonings for pilaf;
825 ml of water.

Cooking method:

In a cauldron with heated oil, we take a lot of oil so that it covers the bottom of the container, at least four tablespoons. So, pour the onion into the hot oil, which you need to chop into thin strips and fry until golden brown, the main thing is not to burn it.
As soon as the onion is browned, lay the pieces of pork and continue to fry the ingredients for 15 minutes, then add the grated carrots and fry for another 15 minutes.
Then pour the zira and seasonings for pilaf to the meat and vegetables, and also put the hot pepper, the head of garlic peeled from the husk, pour in the water and simmer the meat for 40 minutes.
As soon as the base for pilaf is ready, add the barberry and spread the bulgur itself in an even layer, do not alter, add water and simmer the dish for 20 minutes (counting from the moment of boiling).
As soon as there is no liquid left in the cauldron, turn off the fire and evaporate the pilaf for another 15 minutes. Before serving, we alter the bulgur with meat and vegetables, put it on big dish and sprinkle with herbs.

Multicooker cooking option

You can cook in a multicooker different dishes from wheat groats. We offer an option that resembles risotto, only instead of rice we will use bulgur.

Ingredients:

285 g bulgur;
285 ml white wine (semi-dry);
two large onions;
three cloves of garlic;
145 g of cheese;
365 g green peas;
7 stalks of asparagus;
785 ml of broth (water);
salt, olive oil.

Cooking method:

We cut the onion into cubes, chop the slices of the spicy vegetable with thin plastics.
Pour the chopped onion into a bowl with olive oil, sauté in the “Frying” mode for 10 minutes, then add the garlic and overcook the ingredients for another half a minute.
We fall asleep wheat groats, mix, pour in broth or water, after five minutes add wine. The mode can be changed to "Extinguishing".
As soon as the bulgur becomes soft, put the asparagus cut into pieces and fall asleep peas.
We lay the cream and grated cheese after the asparagus softens, warm it up for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese, and you can try a new and unusual dish.

Soup with bulgur - a simple recipe

According to tradition, a Turkish girl must cook bulgur soup on her last evening before marriage so that her family life is prosperous and happy. That's why Turkish soup from wheat groats and called the soup "bride".

Ingredients:

155 g bulgur;
three liters of broth;
two tomatoes;
bulb;
12 g mint;
salt, pepper (peas), paprika.

Cooking method:

In already ready vegetable broth bulgur is poured along with peppercorns and paprika.
Chopped onions are fried in oil and tomatoes are added to it, which are peeled and chopped into cubes.
Fried vegetables are sent to the broth with cereals, put mint, salt and simmer the soup until fully prepared cereals.

Undoubtedly, everyone who has tried bulgur porridge at least once will say with confidence that it is very tasty and nutritious, so in this article we will try to understand in more detail how long it takes and how to cook bulgur in a saucepan and a slow cooker for a side dish, so that it It turned out crumbly and did not stick together during cooking.

How long to cook bulgur by time?

The cooking time for bulgur cereals is on average the same as for most other cereals, only the process of its preparation differs slightly:

How long to cook bulgur for a side dish in a saucepan? In a saucepan, on average, bulgur should be cooked for 20 minutes after boiling water in a saucepan.
How long to cook bulgur in a slow cooker? In the multicooker, bulgur needs to be cooked for 20 minutes in the “Stew” or “Porridge” mode, after which it is left in the multicooker for another 8-10 minutes in the heating mode so that it “reaches”.

Having learned how many minutes to cook bulgur, let's consider further how to properly cook it in a saucepan so that the porridge turns out crumbly, tasty and fragrant.

How to cook bulgur for a side dish in a saucepan?

One of the key phases of cooking crumbly bulgur in a saucepan is its preparation for cooking, so let's take a step-by-step look at the entire cooking process from preparation to cooking itself:

We measure required amount bulgur for cooking (based on the proportion of 1 cup of cereal for 4 servings).
Using a sieve, wash the bulgur cold water and after the water drains from the cereal, we transfer it to a preheated pan (in the pan, first melt 2 tablespoons of butter, vegetable or olive oil).
Fry the bulgur in a skillet over medium heat until pleasant smell(on average 5-7 minutes). Roasting improves the taste and aroma of porridge, and also prevents the grains from sticking together during cooking.
We transfer the fried bulgur to a saucepan and pour boiling water over it (based on the proportion: 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of water). Add salt to taste (0.5 teaspoon without a slide).
After boiling the water in the pan again, reduce the heat to a minimum (the water should not boil much) and cook the cereal for 20 minutes until cooked. Cover the pot with a lid while cooking.
At the end of cooking, we set aside the pan from the heat and let the bulgur porridge brew for 10-15 minutes.
That's all! Boiled bulgur for garnish - ready! Now it can be served at the table.

Answers to popular questions on the topic of how to cook bulgur

Do I need to rinse bulgur before cooking? It is not necessary to rinse the bulgur before cooking, but if the manufacturer specifies it, then you can rinse it in cold water using a sieve.
Do I need to soak bulgur before cooking? Bulgur does not need to be soaked before cooking. In some cases (if the manufacturer recommends it on the package), it can be washed with cold water.
What is the ratio of water and bulgur when cooking? When cooking bulgur, the following proportions must be observed: 2 cups of water to 1 cup of cereal.
How much does bulgur expand when cooked? During cooking, bulgur increases by 2.5-3 times its original volume.

In conclusion to the article, it can be noted that knowing how delicious to cook bulgur in a saucepan, you can constantly use this useful and tasty cereal as a side dish for your favorite dishes. Your reviews and helpful tips how to cook bulgur for a side dish, leave in the comments to this article and share it in in social networks if it was helpful to you.

Crumbly bulgur is the basis of many dishes. It can be boiled as a side dish, used as a filler for salads, minced meat, even for baking. But often it sticks together with long cooking or the wrong proportions.

Krupa came to us from the Middle East and Asia, where nomads and Bedouins loved it very much. On the way, it was impossible to carefully and for a long time to bother with cooking, but cereals were needed as a source of energy, vitamins and minerals. The nomads also figured out how to quickly, simply and tasty cook crumbly bulgur.

We will tell you how to cook crumbly bulgur in a saucepan without special tools.

Preparation

Boiling bulgur properly is quite simple, but first you need to pay attention to the preparation. There are several cooking methods, but there are some general rules. For crumbly bulgur you will need:

a large saucepan - the cereal swells during the cooking process and increases by about three times its original volume;
the cereal itself - the finer the grinding, the less time cooking;
water - the proportion of water to cereal depends on the chosen cooking method.

During the cooking process, you do not even need salt - all seasonings are added to the already prepared dish.

Soak or fry?

So that the product in the pan does not stick together, and crumbly groats has retained its shape, the ground grain must be “filled” in advance. That is, either pre-soak in water, or fry in a pan with the addition of oil. Consider the advantages of each method.

Soak

This method helps to keep the maximum useful substances. The cereal is placed in a large container, preferably made of ceramic or metal with thick walls, and poured hot water. Water should be about one and a half times more than cereals. The container is closed with a lid, wrapped with a towel and left for 30 minutes. Only after that you can start cooking.

If you keep bulgur in water longer, 40-50 minutes, it can be cooled and used without further cooking. In this case, the preparation time for a side dish or salad will be as short as possible.

Roasting

When roasted, all the rich taste and aroma of cereals are revealed - bulgur acquires nutty notes and is more suitable for meat dishes. This method is more often used for cooking pilaf.

The pan needs to be heated up strong fire with butter - as a rule, 10–15 grams of butter or ghee are used per 100 grams of cereal. Olive or sunflower can overpower the flavor. On hot pan groats are poured out and carefully stirred with a wooden spatula. As soon as a golden color appears or the smell of nuts begins to be heard, remove from heat and transfer to a saucepan for cooking.

After that, the chances of properly cooking bulgur in a pan increase significantly. The selected method does not affect how much time to cook in the pan.

Cooking bulgur in a pot

Put the pre-prepared cereal in a large saucepan and fill it with water. The ideal option it is considered to cook bulgur in the proportion of already swollen cereals 1: 1.8 in relation to water. The water must be warm. But if you don’t want to measure, it is permissible to pour 2 parts of water into 1 part of the cereal.

We place the pan on the already heated burner. How much time to cook depends on how much water is poured - 15 or 20 minutes under closed lid over low heat without stirring. All water should evaporate.

Ready crumbly bulgur can be eaten hot, or it can be cooled and added to another dish. It goes great with white or pink. ground pepper, nutmeg, sesame. Of the greens, parsley, basil, cilantro and mint are in perfect harmony. If in ready meal add spices and pieces of meat stewed with vegetables (especially delicious if you use lamb, beef or turkey), you get a real Bedouin pilaf.

Properly cooked cereals allow you to experiment and choose from a whole range of different dishes.

Calories: Not specified
Cooking time: Not indicated

- bulgur - 1 tbsp.;
- water - 2 tbsp.;
- salt;
- butter - 50 g.

Recipe with photo step by step:

We put a dry saucepan or pan with a thick bottom on the fire. We put a piece of butter (delicious) butter in it and drown it.

Wash the bulgur thoroughly and drain it. excess water. Pour into melted butter. Fry everything together for about one minute, stirring occasionally. The oil envelops the cereal from all sides and then the porridge does not stick together during cooking. At this point, salt the bulgur.

Boil water first. And when it boils, pour the cereal in a ratio of 1: 2. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat to low.

We cover with a lid. And now we answer the question of how much to cook bulgur. This cereal is cooked for a short time. Enough 15-20 minutes. After 15 minutes, we look, if the liquid has evaporated, then the porridge is ready. If not, cook for another 5 minutes. The total cooking time should not exceed 20 minutes.

These are the pits on the surface of the porridge should appear. This means that the dish is completely cooked and there is no liquid in it.

The groats melted wonderfully. She became moderately soft, but not much. Has bright creamy taste. And here I recommend not saving on oil, but using the real one. Then the porridge will turn out very tasty. Serve this dish with vegetables, meat or eggs.

On a note
Bulgur can be an excellent substitute for rice, for example, for stuffing or cooking meatballs.
If you want to get it completely, then replace the butter with vegetable oil.
Boiled bulgur is used as a side dish or in salads.
From this product you can cook cutlets without meat by combining porridge with eggs, vegetables and flour.
This rice substitute can become one of the ingredients for cooking delicious dessert. Combining it with nuts, honey, dried fruits, syrups and other goodies gives great results.
Do you know how to cook bulgur differently? Share your ideas in the comments.

Bulgur (burgul) is a cereal with a long history. It has been used for over four millennia. It is believed that it was brought to Europe from the Middle East by Maghreb merchants. Groats are traditionally used in Mediterranean, Oriental, Indian, Armenian, Azerbaijani and Chinese cuisine. By the way, the ancient Chinese considered bulgur a sacred culture.

Bulgur is a cereal that is obtained from durum varieties wheat. She is exposed heat treatment water and drying. Then the grains are shelled (polished) to remove the coarse fibrous outer shell (bran) and to obtain amber color. Then the crushing process begins. Then the cereal is sorted according to the degree of grinding:

small fraction (koftelik). It is used as an additive in the baking of various breads, pies, muffins and cookies. Such a “highlight” gives bakery products a delicate nutty flavor and an appetizing crunch;
the middle fraction is ideal for making side dishes, cereals, thick soups as well as appetizers and desserts;
coarse fraction (pilavlik)- used for cooking pilaf. By palatability not inferior to traditional rice. It successfully replaces pearl barley and couscous in recipes, while not boiling to a mushy state.

The calorie content of cereals is high - 342 kcal per 100 g.

Benefit

Unfortunately, little is known about bulgur in Russia. Just a few years ago, dishes from this cereal entered the menu of restaurants. Beneficial features porridge is simply underestimated by many. Rich in iron, potassium, vitamins, folic acid and fiber it provides beneficial effect to work of cardio-vascular system Helps burn fat and lower blood sugar. The complex carbohydrates contained in the cereal are digested slowly, without damaging the figure.

Harm

IN individual cases bulgur can harm the body. Contraindications to the use of cereals are:

gluten intolerance;
flatulence and frequent diarrhea;
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus;
increased acidity;
tendency to overeat.

If atypical symptoms appear after using the product, consult a specialist. Perhaps this is a signal of a hidden problem in the body. In this case, the dish will not bring benefits.

Subtleties of cooking

Bulgur is used to make soups, main courses and desserts. It goes well with meat, fish, seafood and vegetables. IN oriental cuisine grits often replace traditional rice when cooking pilaf. In Cyprus, bulgur is used for traditional wedding pilaf, and in Turkey, “bride soup” is made from it with the addition of lentils. The preparation of bulgur has its own characteristics.

Grains are not washed or soaked. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Before cooking, the grain is fried in butter or olive oil . This gives it a pleasant aroma and a subtle nutty flavor.
For cooking use dishes with a thick bottom. Great option cauldron or wok. On a slow fire, the cereal in them will languish, but not boil.
When cooking, cereals increase three times. Before cooking, be sure to calculate the number of servings needed.
The proportions of water and cereals are 1:2. This ratio is ideal for viscous porridge.
Incompatible Components. Groats do not go well with paprika, tomato paste, tarragon and dried fruits. Do not use it with potatoes, cabbage and beets. And recipes with an egg simply do not exist.
In a slow cooker, bulgur porridge is cooked in the "Buckwheat" mode. During the cooking process, the grain goes through several stages of processing, due to which the finished dish becomes crumbly.

Gourmets advise cooking bulgur in a slow cooker in several modes. First, the grain is roasted on melted butter in the baking mode. Fill with water and cook using the "Extinguishing" mode. Bring to readiness in the "Heating" mode.

simple recipe

Boiled bulgur will become nutritious breakfast and a great side dish for meat or fish. Most delicious dish will be on the first day. Don't store ready porridge a few days. Better make it fresh.

You will need:

coarse bulgur - 1 cup;
cold water - 2 cups;
butter - 2 tablespoons;
salt - to taste.

Cooking

Melt the butter in a cauldron.
Pour the cereal, mix, fry for 3 minutes.
Fill with water, salt.
Turn up the heat, wait for it to boil.
Cover with a lid, reduce heat, cook for 15-20 minutes.
Let it brew for 5 minutes.

The finished dish has a pleasant nutty flavor. Serve it with butter.

original recipes

We offer delicious sweet porridge on milk and a dish with mushrooms. The first is suitable for breakfast, and the second will be good choice for dinner.

With pumpkin and apples

Hearty and incredible appetizing dish good start to the day. It will energize and give you a feeling of fullness for several hours.

You will need:

bulgur - 1/2 cup;
milk - 1 glass;
pumpkin - 100 grams;
apple - 1 piece;
ground cinnamon - 1 gram;
sugar - 3 teaspoons;
water - 1 glass;
butter - 3 tablespoons;
dried apricots - 50 grams;
mint - 2-3 leaves;
salt - to taste.

Cooking

Fry the bulgur in oil.
Pour in water, milk.
Clean and dice the pumpkin.
Finely chop dried apricots.
Add pumpkin, dried apricots, sugar, mix, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, simmer for 20 minutes.
Salt, remove from heat.
Peel apples, cut into cubes.
Fry the apples in butter with sugar for 1 minute.
Put the porridge on a plate, add apples, pour over the remaining syrup from frying.
Garnish the dish with cinnamon and mint leaves.

Bulgur in milk is crumbly, the grains do not stick together. Pieces of pumpkin, dried apricots and caramelized apples increase the usefulness of the dish, saturating it with vitamins and microelements. Complete the taste spicy notes cinnamon and mint.

With mushrooms

Groats go well with mushrooms. Even traditional champignons, which many consider tasteless, will not leave you indifferent. Try a simple recipe for bulgur porridge with mushrooms.

You will need:

bulgur - 1 cup;
champignons - 500 grams;
onions - 2 pieces;
olive oil - 4 tablespoons;
water - 2 glasses;
parsley - 6-7 branches;
salt - to taste.

Cooking

Fry the diced onion in oil.
Add mushrooms cut into slices, fry until juice is formed.
Add bulgur, fry for 5 minutes.
Pour water, salt, simmer for 15 minutes.
Add chopped greens.

Bulgur with mushrooms can be served with meat or used as an independent dish. If you are on a diet or fasting, porridge diversifies your diet.

We got acquainted with the basic subtleties of making bulgur porridge.
Now you can choose the most suitable option that will give you a boost of energy and good mood!