What is the secret of making bulgur soup? Is it difficult to cook it? Not at all! But you need to know all the nuances and observe the basic subtleties. Learn simple recipes for healthy first courses from bulgur and master the technique of their preparation.
Recipe content:
- How much bulgur is cooked
- Turkish Bulgur Soup
- Chicken soup with bulgur
- Mushroom soup with bulgur
- Video recipes
Bulgur soup is the first dish that came to us from the countries of the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Balkans. In these territories, cereals have been produced for more than 4000 years. At the same time, the production technology in each country remains unchanged to this day. Bulgur is obtained from durum wheat, which is subjected to heat treatment, then dried in the sun, and then bran is removed from the wheat. The grains are ground to the desired size. Bulgur has many advantages. Groats contain almost the entire chemical composition: vitamins PP, E, K, group B, beta-carotene, saccharides, fatty acids, fiber … Millet is well absorbed by the body, has a positive effect on skin and hair, restores metabolism and strengthens the nervous system. In eastern countries, they are replaced by pearl barley and rice. When boiling, the volume of the grains triples, but they do not boil down to a mushy consistency, which makes bulgur indispensable for side dishes and soups.
How much bulgur is cooked
As written above, bulgur is a cereal with a long history. Traditionally, it is used in Mediterranean, Indian, Eastern, Armenian, Chinese and Azerbaijani cuisines. After heat treatment with water and drying, the grains are shelled, crushed and sorted according to the degree of grinding.
- Small fraction. It is used as an additive for baking bread, muffins, pies and biscuits. Baked goods acquire a nutty flavor and light crunch.
- Middle fraction. Suitable for side dishes, cereals and thick soups. They are also used for snacks and desserts.
- Large fraction. It is used for pilaf and is not inferior to classic rice in taste. Perfectly replaces couscous and pearl barley, while it does not boil down to a mushy state.
In order to cook bulgur, you should know some features.
- The grain is not washed or soaked.
- Before boiling, the groats are fried in butter (butter or olive) for a pleasant aroma and nutty flavor.
- For cooking, use a saucepan with a thick bottom and walls. A good option is a cauldron and a wok. The groats languish in them and do not boil.
- The proportions of water and cereals are 1: 2. Ideal ratio for viscous porridge.
- When boiling, the grain increases by 3 times. Therefore, the dishes must be taken of the appropriate size.
- Bulgur cannot be combined with tomato paste, dried fruits, paprika and tarragon. It is not recommended to use it with beets and cabbage. There are also no recipes for eggs.
The product is prepared in several ways. Traditional - bulgur is filled with 2 parts of boiling water and wrapped tightly for 40-50 minutes. Groats are also steamed in a thermos. Delicious bulgur turns out even in the microwave. You need to cook it at maximum power for 2-3 minutes, then leave to rise under a closed lid for 12-15 minutes. You can also cook grain in a multicooker. To do this, select the "Buckwheat" mode. However, gourmets choose the long-term cooking method. Millet is fried in the "Baking" mode, salt and spices are added, poured with boiling water and cooked in the "Stew" mode for 20 minutes. Then leave the porridge on the "Heating" for 7-9 minutes.
Turkish Bulgur Soup
No wedding celebration is complete without traditional Turkish soup. The dish is shrouded in legends and intimate folk traditions are associated with it. This dish is also called "bride's soup".
- Caloric content per 100 g - 44, 5 kcal.
- Servings - 7
- Cooking time - 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Bulgur - 120 g
- Water - 1.5 l
- Red lentils - 100 g
- Turmeric - 1 tsp
- Onions - 1 pc.
- Vegetable oil - 0.5 tbsp.
- Tomato - 2 pcs.
- Salt (to taste) - 4 g
- Parsley - 20 g
Step by step cooking:
- Pour water into a saucepan, put washed lentils and boil.
- Add bulgur, boil again and continue to cook over low heat.
- Finely chop the onion, sauté for 2 minutes in vegetable oil and put in the soup.
- Pour the tomato into a saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Season the soup with salt and add turmeric.
- Cover the dish and cook until bulgur and lentils are soft.
- Sprinkle the finished first course with herbs.
Chicken soup with bulgur
For many, Bulgur has a new culinary sympathy! Since cereal is not inferior to buckwheat and rice in terms of the content of useful chemical compounds, bulgur can be an excellent alternative to the usual ingredients. Chicken Bulgur Soup is an excellent hearty lunch dish for the whole family.
Ingredients:
- Bulgur - 100 g
- Legs - 2 pcs.
- Carrots - 2 pcs.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Potatoes - 2 pcs.
- Water - 2 l
- Garlic - 1-2 cloves
- Bay leaf - 2 pcs.
- Greens - a couple of twigs
- Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Step by step cooking:
- Pour the washed chicken leg with water, place it on the stove and boil. After boiling, cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes and drain the first broth. Pour 2 liters of water over the chicken again, salt to taste and cook the meat until tender.
- Remove the chicken from the broth and cut into pieces.
- Cook Bulgur according to the instructions on the package. It usually takes 15-20 minutes to cook.
- Peel, rinse and chop the onion.
- Grate peeled and washed carrots.
- Fry the onions and carrots in butter for 3-5 minutes.
- Peel and cut the potatoes.
- Put boiled bulgur, sorted meat and fried vegetables into a saucepan with chicken broth.
- Pour all the ingredients with water, adjusting the thickness of the soup to taste. Season with salt and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- 5 minutes before cooking, put the bay leaf, garlic and chopped herbs passed through a press.
Mushroom soup with bulgur
There are many options for mushroom soups. All of them differ from each other in the composition of the ingredients and the method of preparation. Soup with mushrooms and bulgur is no worse than other options. Nutritious, tasty, satisfying.
Ingredients:
- Champignons - 800 g
- Carrots - 1 pc.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Potatoes - 3 pcs.
- Bulgur - 100 g
- Vegetable oil - for frying
- Greens - a bunch
- Ground black pepper - a pinch
- Salt to taste
Step by step cooking:
- Wash the champignons, cut into pieces and fry in a pan in vegetable oil.
- Peel potatoes, onions and carrots, cut into cubes and fry in the same way.
- Boil the bulgur for 10 minutes.
- Put all the products in a saucepan: boiled bulgur, fried mushrooms, potatoes, onions and carrots. Fill everything with drinking water, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add finely chopped herbs to each plate when serving.
Video recipes:
