These days, all you need do is drive to the nearest supermarket if you’re in need of a bag of bulgur.
But Anissa Helou, the Beirut-born prolific cookbook author, journalist and broadcaster, remembers her mother recounting how her own mother’s family would make their own in a time-consuming, laborious process.
The family would hand-sort sacks of wheat to pick out any impurities, then parboil it, drain it, and spread it out on sheets underneath the sun to dry for days to create bulgur.
The nutritious whole grain — high in fiber, manganese, magnesium, and iron — would last them an entire year before the whole process would be repeated again.
Bulgur is not only versatile, but has the advantage of being quick to cook, usually in about 10 minutes.
No wonder it is a mainstay in Lebanese cooking.
If all you’ve ever had it was chilled in the parsley- and mint-laden tabbuleh salad, then do yourself a favor and try it warm in Helou’s “Green Beans, Bulgur Wheat, and Chickepeas” dish.
It’s from her newest cookbook, “Lebanon: Cooking the Foods of My Homeland” (Ecco), of which I received a review copy.
The James Beard Award-winning author showcases the country she grew up in — through its diverse regional specialties.
Along with touching family stories, you’ll find 165 recipes that include: “Sumac Eggplant Spread,” “Lamb in Yogurt Sauce,” “Spicy Fish in Tahini Sauce,” “Roast Chicken with Rice and Nuts,” and “Semolina Cream Pastries.”
This bulgur wheat dish is one of those take-anywhere, go-anywhere, enjoy-with-anything ones, particularly because it’s delicious whether served hot, warm or at room temperature.
Simply saute onions and garlic in olive oil, then add in French green beans. You can use regular green beans, but the French ones are thinner and more uniform. Stir in chopped tomatoes, along with pinch of cinnamon and cumin, before adding the bulgur and chickpeas. You can used canned chickpeas or cook your own from dried, as I did, for added flavor and texture.
In another 10 minutes, plus an equal amount of time for resting, the dish is done and ready to serve.
It is a homey dish that’s full of earthy warmth from the cumin and cinnamon, along with natural sweetness from the tomatoes.
As with any whole grain dish, this one is hearty and filling. It would make a great vegetarian or vegan main dish. Or a tasty side to roast chicken, grilled fish or shrimp, or turkey meatballs.
Green Beans, Bulgur Wheat, and Chickpeas
(Serves 4 to 6)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled, thinly sliced into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled, minced to a fine paste
1 pound French green beans, trimmed, cut on an angle into medium pieces
Sea salt
6 medium tomatoes, diced into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Heaping 1 cup (200 grams) coarse bulgur wheat, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained
1 cup cooked chickpeas
Freshly ground black pepper
Trimmed scallions to serve on the side
Put the olive oil and onion in a deep, wide saute pan — having a wider surface will avoid mushing the beans and chickpeas — and place over medium heat. When the oil starts sizzling around the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for a couple more minutes.
Add the green beans and salt to taste and cook, stirring, for another couple of minutes, or until the green beans are glossy green and well coated with oil.
Add the tomatoes, together with the cinnamon and cumin and more salt to taste. Cover the pot and let the tomatoes bubble for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the bulgur wheat to the pot together with the chickpeas and black pepper to taste. Mix well and add 1/2 cup water. Cover the pot and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is completely absorbed and everything is done to your liking. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel and put back on the pot. Let sit for 10 minutes or so to fluff up the bulgur wheat. Serve hot or warm with trimmed scallions.
From “Lebanon” by Anissa Helou
Another Bulgur Recipe to Enjoy: Zucchini, Pea, and Bulgur Pilaf