Chef Flower's Cracked Wheat Pilaf - Kibrisli Bulgur Pilavi

Chef floWer's Note:

This is one of my mother's recipe, she was born in Cyprus and this recipe has been passed on to her by her mother. It's a quick side dish. My mother has a few recipes using bulgur, but she prepared this one regularly when I was living at home. You could serve it with a scope of plain yoghurt.

• Total Time: 23 mins
• Prep Time: 3 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion , medium size and very finely diced
• 4 tablespoons vermicelli , crushed (please do not substitute to another pasta)
• 1 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock or 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup tomato , canned and diced
• salt and pepper , to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan with lid. Add onion, mix until the onions are transparent. Reduce heat to low and add vermicelli, mix, simmer for two minutes or until the vermicelli looks golden (but not burnt).
2. Add bulgur into the saucepan, mix then add the chicken/vegetable stock, tomatoes and season. (Do not add salt if your stock is high in salt), Mix well.
3. Cover the pan and simmer very gently heat for four minutes, until the mixture is moist but not watery. If is too dry add more chicken/vegetable stock. Turn off heat.
4. Cover with tea towel, place the lid tightly on top and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[Chef #1193422]

Thanks so much for this! My mother-in-law is Turkish Cypriot and she has told me how to make this dish, but she never gives me actual measurements so I've never gotten it quite right. When I made this for my husband he felt like he was back in Cyprus! All I'd recommend is adding a dollop of good, thick Greek style yogurt (closest thing to Cypriot yogurt in the US) to each plate. Similar to the other reviews mine was a little watery as well, but I think that bringing the mix to a boil with the top off before simmering for 4 minutes (with top on) would take care of this.

[Karen Elizabeth]

So unusual! My grains were also a little moist, again, this was almost certainly my fault, I used canned tomatoes and I think I had a little too much liquid. but I loved the taste and the concept, something different! The family, not always wild about new ideas, enjoyed this, I will definitely try it again, balancing stock and tomatoes. thank you Flower! made for the Australian RecipeSwap, October 2008

[Cem]

This was delicious! I think I'll just add a cup and a quarter of the stock next time though, as I think the canned tomatoes I used were a little watery. As a general rule, the liquid should just cover the bulgur (so my grandma says!) As a Turkish Cypriot born in London who's been living in Cyprus for the past 5 years, you'd think I would have picked up Turkish cooking by now...not so! Thanks to your great and simple recipe, I can now make great Turkish dishes - thanks, Chef Flower!