How to cook milk porridge from bulgur. Bulgur porridge: what is it and how to cook it? Bulgur milk porridge

Bulgur is a type of wheat cereal common in the East. In our country it has not been in short supply for a long time. However, not every housewife prepares any dishes from it. This is due to ignorance of the specifics of preparing dishes from this unfamiliar product. Meanwhile, bulgur porridge can replace breakfast or dinner, serve as a side dish for a main snack or as an independent dish. It is boiled in water and milk, with fruits, vegetables and meat. The process is not long or complicated, so it makes sense to replenish your favorite recipes with variations of this dish.

Cooking features

Even an inexperienced housewife can cope with preparing bulgur porridge, as this task is not difficult. However, the technology for preparing this dish is slightly different from what we are used to, so to get the best result, the cook needs to know and take into account several important points.

• Bulgur is obtained by crushing steamed and polished wheat. Its size may vary. Cereals of various sizes are intended for preparing different types of dishes. Finely crushed bulgur is added to confectionery products and cutlets. Large bulgur is used to prepare pilaf and some types of soups. For porridge, it is better to choose medium-sized cereals.
• You should not wash bulgur before using it. However, it can be fried to better reveal its nutty flavor. You can fry the cereal in a dry frying pan, in vegetable or butter. The last option is considered the most preferable.
• To prepare crumbly bulgur porridge, take 2 parts of water to one part of the cereal. To obtain a viscous porridge, the amount of liquid is increased 1.5 times. If porridge is cooked with milk alone, use a ratio of 1:4.
• Cooking bulgur does not take long. It is boiled in water for 10-15 minutes, in milk for 15-20 minutes after boiling. In a slow cooker, the cooking time is increased by about 10 minutes, as it is required to heat the liquid. If the liquid is not completely absorbed within the specified time, wrap the pan with porridge and leave for half an hour, during which time the food will definitely be ready. When cooking porridge in a slow cooker, it is brought to readiness in the heating mode.

There are many options for bulgur porridge, and the technology for its preparation is not always the same, especially if the dish contains vegetables or meat. In order to avoid mistakes and get the expected result, you must follow the recommendations that accompany a specific recipe.

Bulgur porridge on water

• bulgur – 0.2 kg;
• water – 0.4 l;
• butter – 40 g;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

• Boil the water.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
• Pour the bulgur into the oil and fry it, stirring with a spatula, until a nutty aroma appears.
• Pour hot water over the cereal. When it boils, add salt.
• Turn down the heat. Cook the porridge over low heat for 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a towel and wait 15 minutes until the porridge is ready.

Video recipe for the occasion:

Bulgur porridge cooked in water is usually served as a side dish.

Bulgur milk porridge

• bulgur – 100 g;
• milk – 0.4 l;
• butter – 40 g;
• sugar – 10-20 g;
• salt - a pinch.

Cooking method:

• Boil the milk.
• Place a piece of butter weighing about 20 g in a saucepan and melt it.
• Fry the bulgur for 2-3 minutes in melted butter.
• Pour hot milk over the cereal and cook for 15-20 minutes.
• Add sugar, salt and remaining butter. Mix well. Simmer over low heat for a couple of minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 20 minutes.

Bulgur milk porridge can be served for breakfast instead of semolina, rice or millet. This will diversify the family menu.

Bulgur porridge with fruit in a slow cooker

• bulgur – 150 g;
• milk – 0.3 l;
• water – 0.2 l;
• apple – 0.2 kg;
• dried apricots – 50 g;
• butter – 50 g;
• salt, sugar - to taste.

Cooking method:

• Draw a line with butter at about half the height of the multicooker, as if marking a border. Milk will not be able to pass through it when boiling.
• Place the remaining oil in the bottom of the bowl.
• Turn on the appliance by selecting the “Frying” program. If your unit does not have such a function, you can cook in the baking mode.
• Place the bulgur in the slow cooker. Fry it for 3 minutes.
• Dilute the milk with hot boiled water, pour this mixture over the cereal. Add salt, sugar. Change the program to one that is designed for preparing cereal dishes. These programs are called differently, but most often “Porridge”, “Buckwheat”, “Rice”, “Pilaf”.
• Cook the porridge in this program for 20 minutes.
• Steam the dried apricots by pouring hot water over them and waiting 10 minutes. Squeeze the dried fruits and chop with a knife.
• Wash the apple, dry it with a napkin, and peel it. Remove the core and seeds from the fruit. Coarsely grate the pulp.
• Place applesauce and pieces of dried apricots into the multicooker container with the bulgur, stir.
• After 10 minutes, switch the device to heating mode and wait another 20-30 minutes.

The porridge prepared according to this recipe turns out to be so tasty that even children eat it with pleasure.

Bulgur porridge with vegetables

• bulgur – 180 g;
• tomato – 100 g;
• sweet pepper – 0.2 kg;
• garlic – 5 cloves;
• onions – 100 g;
• carrots – 100 g;
• butter – 30 g;
• refined vegetable oil – 30 ml;
• salt, spices - to taste;
• water - how much will go.

Cooking method:

• Wash the vegetables and dry them with a napkin.
• Peel the carrots and chop them on a grater with large holes.
• Remove the skins from the onion and cut it into small cubes.
• Peel the garlic cloves, finely chop two of them with a knife, leave three whole.
• Remove the seeds from the pepper along with the stalk. Cut the pepper pulp into square pieces about 1 cm in size.
• Pour boiling water over the tomato and remove the skin. Cut the pulp into small cubes.
• Melt butter in a cauldron, add vegetable oil to it.
• Add onion and garlic to the oil mixture. Fry them until you get a distinct garlic aroma.
• Add carrots. Fry the vegetables over low heat until the carrots are soft.
• Add pepper, tomatoes, salt and spices. Simmer the vegetables over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Place bulgur on top, smooth, but do not mix.
• Place the garlic cloves that were left whole in the bulgur.
• Pour in water. You need so much of it that it completely covers the bulgur, even being slightly above its level. This will require about 400 ml.
• Cover the cauldron with a lid and cook the food for 15 minutes.
• Stir the contents of the cauldron. Leave it on the stove for another 5 minutes.
• Remove the cauldron from the heat, stir its contents again and leave it covered for 15-20 minutes.

Bulgur with vegetables can be served as a separate dish or as a side dish. This porridge turns out juicy, filling and appetizing. If you do not violate the cooking technology, the porridge will turn out crumbly, its taste and appearance will not disappoint you.

Bulgur porridge with meat

• meat (beef or lean pork) – 0.5 kg;
• bulgur – 0.25 kg;
• water – 0.5 l;
• tomato – 150 g;
• sweet pepper – 150 g;
• onions – 100 g;
• carrots – 100 g;
• refined vegetable oil – 80 ml;
• salt, spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

• Wash and dry the meat, remove films, fat and other areas that can spoil the taste of the finished dish.
• Cut the meat into 1.5 cm pieces.
• After dousing the tomato with boiling water, peel and chop using a blender. Dilute the tomato puree with half a glass of water.
• After removing the peel, cut the onion into thin half rings.
• Cut the peeled carrots into thin strips or grate coarsely.
• Remove the seeds from the pepper and cut it into quarter rings.
• Pour 40 ml of oil into the frying pan and heat it. Place pieces of meat in oil and fry them until they are covered with a crust on all sides.
• Remove meat from pan. Add oil, place onions and carrots in the pan. Fry the vegetables until the onion turns golden.
• Add pepper and continue frying vegetables for another 5 minutes.
• Salt and season the meat.
• Grease a thick-bottomed pan or cauldron with the remaining oil and place the meat in it. Place vegetables on the meat, pour tomato puree over the products. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes.
• Add bulgur and remaining water.
• Cook the porridge over low heat until almost all the liquid is absorbed into the cereal.
• Add seasonings and salt, stir.
• Simmer the food over low heat for another 2-3 minutes and remove the pan from the stove.
• Cover with a lid and towel. Let stand like this for 15-20 minutes until the bulgur is ready.

Porridge made from bulgur with meat and vegetables is a complete dish that does not need any additions.

If you want to make the menu more varied, include porridge made from bulgur. You will almost certainly enjoy this tasty and satisfying dish.

Bulgur (burgul) is a cereal with a centuries-old history. It has been used for more than four thousand years. It is believed that it was brought to Europe from the Middle East by Maghreb merchants. Cereals are traditionally used in dishes of Mediterranean, Oriental, Indian, Armenian, Azerbaijani and Chinese cuisines. By the way, the ancient Chinese considered bulgur a sacred culture.

Bulgur is a cereal obtained from durum wheat. It is subjected to heat treatment with water and drying. The grains are then hulled (polished) to remove the coarse fibrous outer shell (bran) and to produce an amber color. After which the crushing process begins. Then the cereal is sorted by degree of grinding:

• fine fraction (koftelik). Used as an additive when baking various breads, pies, muffins and cookies. This “zest” gives baked goods a delicate nutty flavor and an appetizing crunch;
• the middle fraction is ideal for preparing side dishes, cereals, thick soups, as well as snacks and desserts;
• large fraction (pilavlik)- used for cooking pilaf. The taste is not inferior to traditional rice. It successfully replaces pearl barley and couscous in recipes without boiling to a mushy state.

The calorie content of the cereal is high - 342 kcal per 100 g.

Benefit

Unfortunately, little is known about bulgur in Russia. Just a few years ago, dishes made from this grain entered restaurant menus. Many people simply underestimate the beneficial properties of porridge. Rich in iron, potassium, vitamins, folic acid and fiber, it has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, helps burn fat and lower blood sugar. The complex carbohydrates contained in the cereal are absorbed slowly, without causing damage to the figure.

Harm

In some cases, bulgur can harm the body. Contraindications to eating cereals are:

• gluten intolerance;
• flatulence and frequent diarrhea;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus;
• increased acidity;
• tendency to overeat.

If atypical symptoms appear after consuming the product, consult a specialist. Perhaps this is a signal of a hidden problem in the body. In this case, the dish will not bring any benefit.

Subtleties of cooking

Bulgur is used to prepare soups, main courses and desserts. Pairs well with meat, fish, seafood and vegetables. In oriental cuisine, cereals often replace traditional rice when preparing pilaf. In Cyprus, bulgur is used for traditional wedding pilaf, and in Turkey it is used to make “bride’s soup” with the addition of lentils. Cooking bulgur has its own characteristics.

• The cereal is not washed, washed or soaked. There are no exceptions to this rule.
• Before cooking, the grains are fried in butter or olive oil.. This gives it a pleasant aroma and subtle nutty flavor.
• For cooking use dishes with a thick bottom. A great option is a cauldron or wok. Over low heat, the cereal will simmer in them, but not boil.
• When cooked, grains expand threefold. Before cooking, be sure to calculate the number of servings needed.
• The proportions of water and cereal are 1:2. This ratio is ideal for viscous porridge.
• Incompatible components. Cereals do not combine with paprika, tomato paste, tarragon and dried fruits. Do not use it with potatoes, cabbage and beets. And there are simply no recipes with eggs.
• In a multicooker, bulgur porridge is prepared in the “Buckwheat” mode. During the cooking process, the grain goes through several stages of processing, due to which the finished dish becomes crumbly.

Gourmets advise cooking bulgur in a slow cooker in several modes. First, the grain is fried in melted butter in the “Baking” mode. Fill with water and cook using the “Stew” mode. Bring to readiness in the “Warming” mode.

Simple recipe

Boiled bulgur will be a nutritious breakfast and an excellent side dish for meat or fish (as in the photo). The most delicious dish will be on the first day. Do not store prepared porridge for several days. Better make it fresh.

You will need:

• coarse bulgur - 1 cup;
• cold water - 2 glasses;
• butter - 2 tablespoons;
• salt - to taste.

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a cauldron.
2. Add the cereal, stir, fry for 3 minutes.
3. Fill with water and salt.
4. Increase the heat and wait until it boils.
5. Cover with a lid, reduce heat, cook for 15-20 minutes.
6. Let it brew for 5 minutes.

The finished dish has a pleasant nutty taste. Serve it with butter.

Original recipes. How to cook bulgar correctly in a pan

We suggest preparing a deliciously sweet porridge with milk and a dish with mushrooms. The first one is suitable for breakfast, and the second one will be a good choice for dinner. How long does it take to cook wheat porridge?

With pumpkin and apples

A hearty and incredibly appetizing dish is a good way to start the day. It will charge you with energy and give you a feeling of fullness for several hours.

You will need:

• bulgur - 1/2 cup;
• milk - 1 glass;
• pumpkin - 100 grams;
• apple - 1 piece;
• ground cinnamon - 1 gram;
• sugar - 3 teaspoons;
• water - 1 glass;
• butter - 3 tablespoons;
• dried apricots - 50 grams;
• mint - 2-3 leaves;
• salt - to taste.

Preparation

1. Fry the bulgur in oil.
2. Pour in water and milk.
3. Peel and dice the pumpkin.
4. Finely chop the dried apricots.
5. Add pumpkin, dried apricots, sugar, stir, bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat, cook for 20 minutes.
7. Add salt and remove from heat.
8. Peel the apples and cut into cubes.
9. Fry the apples in butter with added sugar for 1 minute.
10. Place the porridge on a plate, add apples, and pour over the remaining syrup from frying.
11. Garnish the dish with cinnamon and mint leaves.

Bulgur with milk turns out crumbly, the grains do not stick together. Pieces of pumpkin, dried apricots and caramelized apples increase the usefulness of the dish, saturating it with vitamins and microelements. Spicy notes of cinnamon and mint complete the taste.

With mushrooms. Easy way step by step

Cereals go well with mushrooms. Even traditional champignons, which many consider tasteless, will not leave you indifferent. Try a simple recipe for bulgur porridge with mushrooms at home.

You will need:

• bulgur - 1 glass;
• champignons - 500 grams;
• onions - 2 pieces;
• olive oil - 4 tablespoons;
• water - 2 glasses;
• parsley - 6-7 sprigs;
• salt - to taste.

Preparation

1. Fry the diced onion in oil.
2. Add sliced ​​mushrooms and fry until juice forms.
3. Add bulgur, fry for 5 minutes.
4. Pour water, salt, simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add chopped greens.

Bulgur with mushrooms can be served with meat or used as an independent dish. If you are on a diet or fasting, porridge will diversify your diet.

We got acquainted with the basic intricacies of preparing bulgur porridge.
Now you can choose the most suitable option that will give you a boost of energy and good mood!

Millet, rice, and oatmeal have been known to us since childhood. But we weren’t given bulgur milk porridge for breakfast in kindergarten. This cereal entered our diet quite recently. Bulgur is crushed wheat grains with a distinctive nutty aroma. Another feature of the cereal is that it does not require rinsing before cooking. It is most often used in the preparation of salads, as well as pilaf and side dishes with vegetables. Today we will try bulgur in a new category - as a milk porridge for breakfast.

Pour the bulgur into a frying pan and heat for a few minutes.

Pour the cereal into a saucepan, add milk and salt.

Place on the fire and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is absorbed. This will take about 15 minutes. Do not move away from the pan with porridge so that the milk does not run away.

Stir and cover with a lid. Leave in a warm place for another 15-30 minutes. You can leave the porridge overnight, wrapped in a warm blanket or towel.

Vegetarian Rice porridge with pumpkin is a wonderful breakfast option, because the porridge turns out incredibly tasty, aromatic, and most importantly, healthy. Pumpkin, rich in vitamins and minerals, undoubtedly brings benefits to rice porridge. Rice 130 g. Pumpkin 200 g. Milk 1 l. Sugar 1 tbsp. l. Vanilla sugar 1 tsp. Prepare the necessary ingredients for the porridge. Cooking rice porridge with milk. Add sugar. Meanwhile, cut the pumpkin into cubes and cook for 15 minutes. Using a blender, puree the pumpkin until smooth.

A detailed step-by-step description of how to prepare the dish “Lentil and bulgur pilaf with zucchini and pumpkin.” Be sure to try it Brown lentils 1.25 cups. Chicken broth 4.5 cups. Onion 1 head Bay leaf 1 pc. Salt ¼ tsp. Bulgur ¾ cup. Ground allspice black pepper ½ tsp. Extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp. Lemon juice 2 tbsp. Young zucchini 1 pc. Pumpkin squash 1 pc. Garlic 1 tooth. Chopped parsley 2 tbsp. Grated lemon zest 2 tsp. In a saucepan, combine broth, lentils, finely chopped onion, bay leaf, salt, allspice and black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the bulgur and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the lentils and bulgur are cooked. Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and stir in lemon juice.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add zucchini and pumpkin cut into small pieces. Then add chopped garlic and lemon zest. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add parsley and cilantro, salt and pepper and add the main pilaf. Stir and serve hot. 20min 75min Vegetarian This simple recipe for millet porridge with pumpkin in a pot is good because it does not require any special preliminary preparation of ingredients. This porridge is perfect for a children's menu. In addition, if you wish, you can add dried fruits, candied fruits or nuts, for example. A bright, satisfying and healthy dish! Millet 300 g. Pumpkin 250 g. Milk 1 l. Salt 1 To taste Sugar 1 To taste Butter 1 To taste Millet should be filled with warm water and rinsed thoroughly. The amount of water should be approximately 5 times more than cereal. You can rinse under running water and then leave for 7-10 minutes and rinse again. Place the cereal in a colander and pour boiling water over it at least 3 times. This will remove the bitterness inherent in the cereal. Remove seeds from pumpkin. The pulp can be cut into small cubes or even grated (if desired). Another interesting method that can be used in the recipe for preparing millet porridge with pumpkin in a pot is to extract the pulp using a small spoon. Then carefully remove the lid and simmer for about 15 more minutes, so that the millet porridge with pumpkin in a pot at home is not only tasty and crumbly, but also golden brown.

Remove the skin, seeds and internal fibers from the pumpkin. Cut it into pieces, combine with millet, milk and sugar, cook in the “Porridge” mode. Ready! Pumpkin 250 g. Millet 1 cup. Milk 3 cups. Sugar 3-4 tbsp. Vanillin 1 chip. Prepare the necessary products. To get a thinner porridge, increase the amount of milk. Remove the skin and the inner edge with the fibers from the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin into cubes.

Sort the millet very carefully. There are often small stones in it. Rinse until clean, clear water. Pour milk into the multicooker pan, add millet, sugar and vanillin. Place the pan in the multicooker, turn on the “Porridge” mode for 40 minutes. After the signal our porridge will be ready. Bon appetit! 20min 60min Vegetarian Pumpkin and millet go well together. Since it is sweet enough, you don't even need to add sugar. The porridge will turn out rich, moderately sweet (thanks to the millet porridge) and thick. When preparing millet porridge with pumpkin in water, you can also add dried fruits or nuts, as well as honey: breakfast will be what you need! Pumpkin 750 g. Water 3 cups. Millet 1.5 cups. Salt 0.5 tsp. Vegetable oil to taste First, prepare the ingredients: peel the pumpkin from the seeds and cut into cubes. Rinse the millet thoroughly several times. You can even pour boiling water over it for 5 minutes.

Place the pumpkin in the pan. Pour boiling water over and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the millet and cook everything together over low heat for 15-20 minutes. After this, cover the pan with a lid and remove the porridge from the heat. Let it sit for another half hour: this will allow the porridge to boil down. Millet porridge with pumpkin in water is ready. You can add vegetable oil or honey to it before serving. Bon appetit! 20min 45min Vegetarian To prepare pumpkin porridge with millet in milk, you can use any milk: homemade, store-bought, cow's or goat's, for example. I personally take full-fat (3.2%) store-bought milk: the result is great. Pumpkin, the more ripe it is, the better. By the way, I tried replacing sugar with condensed milk a couple of times - and it also turned out great, almost like a dessert, and not ordinary porridge. Pour milk, add sugar. Set the “Porridge” mode and cook for 15-20 minutes (check the degree of readiness). After the signal, I leave the porridge in the “Warming” mode for 20 minutes, stirring first. Add butter before serving. Bon appetit!

20min 40min Vegetarian I like pumpkin porridge puree. I’m used to cooking it in pieces either with rice or millet. But the pumpkin itself doesn’t turn out well in pieces. Therefore, to prepare pumpkin porridge with milk, we will need a blender to puree it. You can regulate the amount of powdered sugar yourself: it all depends on the pumpkin itself: sometimes you come across one as sweet as honey, so you don’t need sugar! Pumpkin 500 g. Milk 200 ml. Water 50 ml. Ground cinnamon 0.5 tsp. Raisins 0.5 cup. Powdered sugar to taste First, pour boiling water over the raisins so that they soften and become softer. Peel the pumpkin (remembering to remove the seeds), cut into large pieces and place in a saucepan. Mix milk with water, and then pour over the pumpkin. Place the pan on the fire, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Let the pumpkin cook for 15-25 minutes until it becomes soft. After this, put the pumpkin in a colander and let the milk drain (but don’t pour it out yet, we’ll need it later). Let the pumpkin cool slightly, and use a blender to puree it. If the puree is too thick, add the remaining milk. Add cinnamon and powdered sugar to taste. The porridge becomes like cream. By the way, it can be served both hot and cold.

Sort the millet very carefully. There are often small stones in it. Rinse until clean, clear water. Place the prepared pumpkin porridge on plates, add raisins to taste, and stir. Bon appetit! This simple recipe for making barley porridge with milk will not take the housewife much time. Barley porridge with milk is very easy to prepare and does not require financial costs. After all, porridge is the most budget-friendly dish. Seasoned with milk, barley porridge becomes much softer. It literally melts in your mouth and feels like you don’t have to chew it. Butter only complements the milky taste and reveals the aroma of the porridge. It can be salty or sweet (depending on your mood). This porridge is best served for breakfast while still very hot. The simplicity and time of preparation contribute greatly to this. In addition, such a breakfast will help you stay full until lunchtime and without various snacks. Barley groats 1 cup. Milk 2 cups. Rinse the barley. Mix the milk with water and pour into the pan. Put it on fire. When the milk boils, add the cereal. Mix the cereal with milk and bring to a boil. Turn down the fire. Cook, constantly stirring the ingredients. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, salt the porridge. Add sugar if desired. Boil for a couple more minutes, stirring the porridge. Cover the porridge with a lid. Remove from heat. Leave the porridge covered for 20-30 minutes to let it simmer. Now that everything is ready, put the porridge on everyone's plate with a piece of butter. Bon appetit.

20min 35min Vegetarian You can read about how to cook semolina porridge with raisins. This option would be ideal for breakfast. In addition to dried fruits, we will also add cottage cheese. This means the dish will become even healthier. Getting such a portion of calcium and carbohydrates in the morning will not hurt anyone. So check out the recipe. Butter 50 g. Raisins 200 g. Cottage cheese 300 g. Milk 1 l. Semolina 5 tbsp. Sugar 2 tbsp. Berries, fruits, nuts to taste Salt 1 chip. Soak raisins in water for 10 minutes. Then rinse it several times. Pour the milk into the pan. Add salt, sugar and semolina to it. Mix the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil. After boiling, add raisins to the milk. Reduce heat. Cook the porridge for 5 minutes, stirring.

Then cook for another 6 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Add cottage cheese. Stir. Leave the porridge covered for 10 minutes. Serve the porridge, garnishing it with fruits, berries or nuts. Have a delicious breakfast! 20min 10min Vegetarian I would like to offer you a very cool option on how to prepare a salad of corn and cabbage, supplemented with cucumber and green apple. I recommend using sour cream as a dressing, then the salad will not only be tasty, but also healthy for children and adults. Cabbage 1/2 pcs. Cucumber 1-2 pcs. Apple 1 pc. Corn 1 pc. Sour cream 1-2 tbsp. Lemon juice 1 tbsp.

Until recently, the word “bulgur” was almost completely unknown in Russia. Although the plant from which this cereal is obtained has been grown and widely used in our country for a long time. This is the well-known wheat. The secret of bulgur is in special processing: steaming in boiling water, even before cleaning. After this, the wheat is thoroughly dried, cleaned (when moistened), separating the outer shell (bran), polished, although this step can be omitted, and crushed.

In the countries of the East and Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans, wheat groats in this form have been used for more than 4 thousand years. I must say that it is not by chance.

Features of the dish

In general, wheat dishes are filling and nutritious. Bulgur in this sense is no exception. And thanks to the processing described above, it also acquires an appetizing golden color and a peculiar nutty flavor, which attracts many connoisseurs of culinary masterpieces.

The range of application of cereals is very wide. This is facilitated by the fact that when crushed, bulgur is sorted by the size of the resulting particles and divided into three types:

• large (pilavlik)– prepared as an independent side dish or used instead of rice in pilaf;
• average– usually used for preparing porridges and salads;
• small (koftelik)- Great for baking, and also added as an ingredient to traditional Asian cutlets - kofta.

Perhaps it would not be a mistake to choose porridge from the offered assortment as the dish that is closest to the majority of residents of our country. And it is one of the easiest to prepare. Bulgur porridge can serve as a tasty and nutritious breakfast. Although it is quite suitable for an early dinner or a second lunch course.

Someone might say that there is nothing special about wheat porridge. But in fact, we do not always know about all the properties of the products we eat. And if you really get tired of regular cereals, then you definitely need to try bulgur porridge. Let's figure out what it can give to our body.

According to various sources, the calorie content of bulgur is 298-342 kcal (more than 1228 kJ) per 100 g. BZHU looks something like this: 11.2-12.3 x 1.3-1.8 x 56.5-57.6 - per the same 100 grams.

If we talk about porridge, then its energy value may be even higher due to other ingredients. This is primarily sugar. Also oil, especially if you add it according to the principle: “You can’t spoil porridge with oil.” Milk also does not reduce calorie content at all. This indicator will decrease only if you cook the porridge in water.

Whether such nutritional value of a dish is considered beneficial or harmful is something everyone decides for themselves. For the younger generation, people leading an active lifestyle, athletes, this will be more of a plus. Those who want to lose weight may consider it a minus.

But it must be said that the large amount of complex slow carbohydrates in bulgur helps to pass the time between full meals without snacking, thereby contributing to the fight for slimness.

Benefit

If caloric content is a controversial quality, then the rich vitamin and mineral composition is certainly among the beneficial properties. There are vitamins B, E, A, as well as K and PP. Bulgur contains the following micro- and macroelements: iron, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus. Everyone knows that the body needs these substances, but not everyone knows for what purpose. Thanks to this composition, the product has the following effects:

• promotes the breakdown of fats;
• reduces blood sugar;
• strengthens the heart and blood vessels;
• supports the nervous system;
• increases performance.

Harm

Considering the fact that bulgur is obtained from durum wheat, we can say with confidence that the product will not harm a strong, healthy intestine. Although cereals are digested slowly, they only help cleanse the gastrointestinal tract. But it’s another matter if there are already some deviations. So, the following contraindications exist:

• disturbances in the functioning of the intestines (flatulence or diarrhea);
• exacerbation of gastritis and ulcers;
• indigestibility of gluten.

The rest just need to choose the appropriate recipe, take into account the cooking tips and get a new healthy and tasty dish on your menu.

To make your porridge truly satisfying, it makes sense to take advantage of the experience of culinary experts.

• Bulgur, unlike other grains, is strictly not recommended to be soaked before cooking. As for washing, this is also not recommended. If you need to comply with sanitary requirements, then it is best to quickly rinse the cereal.
• To enhance the existing nutty taste and aroma, it is recommended to fry bulgur in oil before cooking.
• To avoid burning, use thick-walled cookware. In the areas where this cereal comes from, a cauldron is most often used.
• When calculating the proportion of bulgur and water or milk, it is necessary to take into account that the cereal, when boiled, increases in volume by about three times.
• Dried fruits, tarragon and paprika are considered unsuitable ingredients for bulgur. But this is more a matter of taste.

Cooking methods

The most common, one might say basic, method is cooking with water. For this porridge you will need:

• bulgur (200 g);
• water (400 g);
• butter (2 tablespoons for frying).

First, you should fry the cereal in butter (about 3 minutes), which will further reveal its nutty taste. Then add water to the same bowl and salt the porridge to taste. Bring to a boil over full heat and, reducing heat, cook for about 20 minutes. Before eating the resulting dish, it is recommended to let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.

The calorie content of such porridge will be approximately 83 kcal per 100 g, so in moderate quantities it does not pose a danger to the figure.

Not everyone is addicted to diets, and some never eat porridge without sugar. The next recipe is just for them.

With apples and pumpkin (with milk)

Required Products:

• bulgur (100 g);
• water (200 g);
• milk (200 g);
• oil drain (3 tablespoons);
• apple (1 pc.);
• pumpkin (150 g);
• sugar (3 teaspoons);
• a little salt.

Roasting cereals is a mandatory initial stage. Then carefully pour in milk and water, and add chopped pumpkin and sugar. All components should be mixed and the mixture should be boiled. The next stage is cooking over low heat (about 20 minutes). All that remains is to add salt to taste. Combine diced apples with a spoon of sugar and fry a little.

Before serving the dish, add apples with syrup after frying, sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with mint leaves. Additional components will add useful elements and vitamins to the milk porridge, and you don’t need to mention how the taste will improve.

If simple porridge with water doesn’t seem tasty enough and you don’t want to add calories to your diet, you can add low-calorie ingredients to the recipe.

With mushrooms and herbs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bulgur;
• 2.5 glasses of water;
• 500 grams of mushrooms (champignons can be used);
• 2 onions;
• olive oil (about 4 tablespoons);
• parsley;
• salt.

In this recipe, the first step is to fry the onion, which needs to be finely chopped. Mushrooms are added to it, then frying continues until juice appears. Only after this, add the bulgur and fry everything together for about 5 minutes. At this stage, add water, add salt to the mixture and continue the process for another 15 minutes. Before finishing cooking, add chopped parsley.

A good cooking option may be to use smart kitchen appliances. Of course, we are talking about a slow cooker. You just need to place the components in it and select the “Buckwheat” program. And if you have time and desire to get a more interesting dish, then you can use three modes. Start by frying the cereal in the “Baking” program, after adding water, cook in the “Stewing” program and let the porridge finish in the “Warming” program.

The simplest option is porridge without cooking. Bulgur is usually not soaked before cooking, but if you do not cook it, then you only need to soak it. You need to pour hot boiling water over the cereal for 15-20 minutes; if necessary, water can be added until the grains are properly swollen. Additional ingredients are added to taste.

It has already been said that bulgur produces quite high-calorie dishes, so it is not advisable that the daily portion of porridge be more than 200 g. And it is better to include it in the menu no more than 3 times a week.

To make the porridge more suitable for a dietary diet, you can not use butter at all or use vegetable milk, replace regular milk, for example, with coconut milk, and add honey instead of sugar.

It should be noted that bulgur is gaining increasing popularity due to its interesting taste and beneficial properties. According to reviews, it was especially liked by supporters of a healthy lifestyle, athletes and vegetarians.

To learn how to prepare bulgur as a side dish, watch the video below.