Bulghur

Bulghur is a type of food made up of whole wheat and durum wheat that is sprouted and undergoes a special finishing process. The grains of wheat, in fact, are steamed and then dried, and are later ground and reduced to small fragments. Bulghur is fairly widespread in the Middle East and its name is etymologically derived from the Turkish word bulğur, which means boiled barley.

It is a typical product of Middle Eastern regions, particularly of Lebanon and Syria. Its presence in these areas is testified to already around 1300 A.D. It is assumed, however, that even the armies of Genghis Khan made extensive use of it, because it is easily stored and prepared.

Available in Italy in three sizes: medium, fine and very fine, it lends itself to a variety of preparations. The larger size is perfect type in hearty and light soups, the finer one is particularly suitable for cold salads. Among the well-known Middle Eastern recipes that include bulgur, tabbouleh is certainly the best known; it is a light and fresh summer recipe, enriched with onion, tomato, mint, and lemon. The bulgur that one finds in stores is usually precooked, so it just needs to be boiled in lightly salted water for about 15 minutes before it can be used in various preparations.