Bulgur

Bulgur (Turkish: bulgur; Azerbaijani: bulğur; Armenian: բլղուր, romanized: blghur; Persian: بلغور, romanized: bolġur/balġur, lit. 'groats'),^[1] or Borghol (Egyptian Arabic: برغل, romanized: borġhol),^[2] is a cracked wheat foodstuff found in Turkish cuisine, South Asian cuisine and West Asian cuisine.

Coarse bulgur

Characteristics

Bulgur, cooked

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	350 kJ (84 kcal)
Carbohydrates	18.58 g
Sugars	0.10 g
Dietary fiber	4.5 g
Fat	0.24 g
Protein	3.08 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Vitamin A equiv. 0% 0.0 μg Vitamin A 1 IU Thiamine (B1) 5% 0.057 mg Riboflavin (B2) 2% 0.028 mg Niacin (B3) 6% 1.000 mg Vitamin B6 5% 0.083 mg Folate (B9) 5% 18 μg Vitamin C 0% 0.0 mg Vitamin D 0% 0 μg Vitamin E 0% 0.01 mg Vitamin K 0% 0.5 μg Minerals Quantity %DV† Calcium 1% 10 mg Iron 5% 0.96 mg Magnesium 8% 32 mg Phosphorus 3% 40 mg Potassium 2% 68 mg Sodium 0% 5 mg Zinc 5% 0.57 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	78 g
USDA Nutritional Database
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[3] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[4]

Bulgur is distinct from cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that, unlike bulgur, has not been parboiled.^[5] Bulgur is a common ingredient in cuisines of many countries of the West Asian cuisine and Mediterranean Basin.^{[6][self-published source?][7][8]} It has a light, nutty flavor.^[9]

Bulgur is recognized as a whole grain by the United States Department of Agriculture.^[10]

Composition and nutrition

Cooked bulgur is 78% water, 19% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and contains negligible fat (table). A 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference serving supplies 350 kilojoules (84 kilocalories) of food energy. A study of uncooked samples from different sources found, with some variation between samples, about 9% protein, 11% moisture, 1% ash, 70% starch of which 2–2.8% beneficial resistant starch, 7% fibre, mostly beneficial insoluble fibre.^[11]

Culinary uses

Coarse bulgur

Bulgur does not require cooking, although it can be included in cooked dishes; soaking in water is all that is needed.^[12]

Coarse bulgur is used to make pottages,^[13] while the medium and fine grains are used for breakfast cereals,^[14] salads such as kısır, pilavs, breads,^[15] and in dessert puddings such as kheer.^[16][17] Bulgur porridge is similar to frumenty, a cracked wheat porridge that was a staple of medieval cuisine.^[18][19]

In breads, it adds a whole-grain component. It is a main ingredient in kibbeh and in tabbouleh salad. It is often used where rice or couscous could be used. In Indian and Pakistani cuisine, bulgur is often used as a cereal to make a porridge with milk and sugar, or a savory porridge with vegetables and spices. It can be used to accompany other dishes in the same way as pasta or rice; it may be mistaken for rice because it has a similar appearance, although the texture is different.

Armenians prepare bulgur as a pilaf in chicken stock, with or without sautéed noodles, or cooked with tomatoes, onions, herbs and red pepper. The fine grind is used for making eech, a bulgur salad similar to tabbouleh, prepared with tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, olive oil, and other salad ingredients to personal taste. Pomegranate molasses, which is sour and sweet, is commonly used instead of lemon juice to add tartness.

In Greece, it is known as πλιγούρι (pligouri) and in Cyprus as πουρκούρι (pourkouri), where it is used to make κούπες (koupes, known as içli köfte in Turkish), a variety of kibbeh. It is deep-fried, with a crust made of fine bulgur, flour, oil, salt and egg, filled with ground meat (beef and/or pork), onions, parsley and spices.

The Saudi Arabian version of bulgur, popular in Nejd and Al-Hasa, is known as jarish (Arabic: جَريش).^[20]

See also

• Einkorn wheat
• Freekeh
• Groat (grain)
• Laapsi
• Semolina
• Wheat berry