Bourgouri (πουργούρι) as it's known in Cyprus or Pligouri (πλιγούρι) as it's known in Greece has been part of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines for thousands of years.
Here in Cyprus it's a particularly popular dish, that's tasty, low-fat and more nutritional than rice. Bulgar Wheat is also more nutritional than couscous with four times more fibre, less carbs and lower calories.
To make pilaf be sure to use the coarsely ground and not the finely ground variety.
Ingredients:
500 gr. bulgur wheat (2 cups) put in a sieve washed and let to dry
3-4 ripped tomatoes grated and pass through asieve or
500 gr. chopped tomatoes or passada
1 small onion chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup vermicelli
1 litre hot water
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
1 cinnamon stick
3 gardamon seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to season
Serve with Greek yoghurt.
Method:
In a hot non-stick pan add olive oil and chopped onion and stir over low heat until soft. Add vermicelli and stir until just golden brown.
Add grated fresh tomatoes through a sieve leaving behind any seeds and skin) or passada. Add cinnamon stick, gardamon seeds, bay leaf and freshly ground black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add hot water and vegetable or chicken stock cube and stir in washed and train bulgur wheat; mix and stir well and simmer for just 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cover pan with a clean kitchen towel and close pan with the lid on top of towel. Stand for 15 - 20 minutes.
Fluff the pilaf with a fork before serving either on it's own or as an accompaniment to a meat or fish dish along with Greek yoghurt and a nice Greek salad.
