250gbulgur (coarse), for other types, see recipe notes below
500mlwater, or light stock
salt
How I make it
Melt 3 Tbsp of the butter along with the olive oil in a thick bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaf and whole allspice and fry for a minute. The spices will give an extra depth of flavour to the bulgur, but can be omitted for a more plain version.
Add the bulgur. Stir well until completely coated by the fats. Add the water and season well with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and put a lid on. Leave for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take off the heat and leave for another five minutes. Don't worry if there's still a little water left in the pot when you take it off the heat, this will be absorbed during the resting time. Once the bulgur has been off the heat for 5 minutes, remove the bay leaf and allspice. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Tips & notes
For extra flavour, use stock instead of water. I like home made chicken or vegetable stock. If your stock is quite concentrated, you want to dilute it as to not overpower the flavour of the bulgur itself. I never use stock cubes, but that's a personal preference.If using dark or wholegrain bulgur, you can use the same method but the cooking time may vary.For fine or semi fine bulgur, the above method is not appropriate. Fine bulgur is usually left to steep in hot water rather than being boiled, such as in Turkish kisir or lentil meatballs (see text above).Leftover bulgur keeps well in the fridge. Store in a sealed container and use within a few days. You can either reheat it and use it as a side, or use it cold as part of a salad.
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