I am always one to give credit where it is required and in the case of this bulgur wheat pilaf that goes to one of my favorite restaurants. A few weeks ago I went to Oleana, a go-to culinary destination in Cambridge. Just talking about this restaurant makes my mouth water, it is that good!
Oleana is owned by the very creative James beard award winning chef Ana Sortun and is known for its Turkish and middle eastern small plate delights. Each and every dish is thoughtfully curated and feels like a burst of exotic flavors in the mouth. I am in love!
This is my humble attempt to recreate one of the dishes that I ate there. Heirloom tomato kisir with walnut dressing and fresh heirloom tomatoes feels like a perfect choice for summer. Of course, this recipe uses some of the condiments I love, but the end result was delicious.
As Delicious as it is Healthy
Kisir is a traditional Turkish bulgur wheat pilaf, with tomato paste and spiced with pepper paste. Instead of pepper paste, I used one of my favorite condiments, that I got from Trader Joe’s. It is called Zhoug sauce, a cilantro based condiment that is popular throughout middle east. This makes the Indian in me so happy, with all the bold flavors and by having one of my favorite herbs, cilantro.
I now consider this recipe as one of my favorite healthy carb indulgences. There is no dairy involved while the walnut dressing adds the perfect dose of creaminess to the bulgur wheat pilaf. It kind of feels like raita to the biriyani.
Middle eastern cuisine is known to be one of the most healthiest cuisines around. It incorporates all the healthy fats, carbs with fiber, vegetables and the lean protein, not to mention all the amazing flavors from the spices.
Bulgur wheat comes with several health benefits, with a consistency similar to quinoa or couscous. It is a whole grain which is very minimally processed and is fiber rich. These are the types of carbs we should aim for to introduce into our diets. Such carbs that are fiber rich which regulates the body’s use of sugar and keep our hunger in check. Bulgur holds twice the fiber as compared to brown rice and tastes delicious! Bulgur wheat is lower in calories as compared to other whole grains like quinoa and is rich in manganese, magnesium and iron.
How to make it
Eat this by wrapping the bulgur wheat pilaf, walnut dressing and heirloom tomatoes in a lettuce leaf. You wont stop at one, let me tell you that!
Bulgur Pilaf Recipe
Ingredients
- For Pilaf
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 red onion medium finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. zhoug sauce
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 2 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 heirloom tomatoes
- For the Walnut dressing
- 3 dates soaked in water
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. ACV
- A few tablespoons of water to thin out the dressing
For Pilaf
- For dressing
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over low medium heat in a pan.
- Add chopped onion and ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes until onion wilt, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and zhoug sauce and cook for 4 minutes.
- Stir in Bulgur wheat and water and give everything a nice mix.
- Cover and cook for 16 minutes until water is absorbed and bulgur wheat turns tender.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes covered.
- Meanwhile, add all the ingredients for the walnut dressing to the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Top the pilaf with walnut dressing and chopped heirloom tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
Notes : Bulgur is an amazing substitute for rice, choose seasonal fresh heirloom tomatoes. I got my organic bulgur wheat from whole foods
Now that you have lunch or dinner sorted out, how about an amazing vegan healthy choice for breakfast? This banana chia seed pudding is delicious and is very easy to make.
Planning to give this recipe a try? Let us know in the comments below.
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