Cracked Wheat (Bulghur) Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Nuts
By: davidwarda
Category: Uncategorized
| Aperture: | f/2.8 |
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| Focal Length: | 5.40625mm |
| ISO: | 3 |
| Shutter: | 1/20 sec |
| Camera: | Canon PowerShot A40 |
Wheat is a miracle grain that had its roots in the cradle of civilization. It was cultivated 10,000 years ago and was the staff of life to my ancient ancestors in Assyria, now northern Iraq.
This amazing nutrient-dense grain is loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Unfortunately ‘modern’ milling has removed most of wheat’s benefits transforming it into a nearly lifeless dead starch. To make matters even worse we now genetically alter the grain furthering the destruction of our farmland and threatening our health.
The tragic war in Iraq has broken down the centuries old wheat production system and forced them to import their grain from their invaders. How ironic that a culture that has been tending the wheat fields for centuries is now forced to buy genetically altered grain from the country that has destroyed so much of their culture and killed so many of its citizens.
Cracked wheat, also called bulghur, was one of the first ‘processed’ fast foods. This ancient ‘technology’ converted a slow cooking grain to one that was ready in minutes; the fine grind requires no cooking at all.
Bulghur is made when wheat berries (or kernels) are parboiled, dried, then ground into different sizes from ‘fine #1’ to ‘coarse #4’. This is the real ‘whole wheat’ and not just the marketing hype.
Today’s Cracked Wheat Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Nuts is a dish passed along from my Persian family. The combination of dried cherries and pistachios with mint and parsley identify its cultural origin. This quick cooking winter side dish usually appears with roasted meats and vegetables or a seasonal stew. Broiled ground lamb patties seasoned with peppers and herbs are a traditional accompaniment to this fruit and nut-studded pilaf.
If you plan on eating leftovers as a salad use the olive oil instead of the ghee. I sometimes sprinkle a luncheon serving with some sheep’s milk feta cheese. Add soup (Spinach Lentil*) or a bean and vegetable salad (Chickpea Salad*) and you will have a satisfying lunch worth eating.
*Recipes in the archive.
Cracked Wheat (Bulghur) Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Nuts
Serves 4-6
The classic mix of this whole-wheat grain, pistachios, cherries, mint, and parsley make this pilaf Persian. Make this dish your own using whatever nuts and fruits you have on hand.
2 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter), Unsalted Butter or Olive Oil
1 small onion, finely minced
Kosher Salt
½ cup shelled, unsalted, Roasted Pistachios, chopped (or use Pine Nuts, Roasted and Skinned Walnuts, Slivered Almonds, or a combination)
2 cups Coarse #3 Cracked Wheat (Bulghur), rinsed in cold water then drained
3 cups hot Vegetable Stock, I prefer Seitenbacher
Juice of 1 Orange
½ cup Dried Fruit (Currants, Golden Raisins, Cherries, or a combination)
1 tablespoon finely minced Fresh Mint or 1 teaspoon Dried Mint
½ cup Fresh Parsley, finely minced
Black Pepper to taste
Heat ghee (or oil) in a large pan with a cover. Add the onions, salt lightly, and cook until the onions are translucent and the edges begin to brown. Add the nuts and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the bulghur and stir to coat the grains.
Pour in the hot stock and orange juice. Add the dried fruit, parsley, and mint.
Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until most of the liquid has absorbed and the grain is almost tender, about 15 minutes.
Fluff the pilaf with a large fork. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Cover the pan with a cotton kitchen towel. Replace the cover, remove the pan from the heat, and allow the pilaf to steam for 10 minutes.
Fluff the mixture and serve.
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