Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad)
Kisir is a flavorful grain salad of bulgur, fresh herbs, veggies and pomegranate. Make this Turkish salad recipe for an easy, healthy meal!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine bulgur wheat (See Note 1)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses or lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp red pepper paste (See Note 2)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 3 green onions chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes chopped
- 2 dill pickles diced
- 1/2 cup mint leaves (loosely packed) chopped
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (loosely packed) chopped
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Garnish
- pomegranate seeds (arils)
- Lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Place bulgur wheat and salt in a 4 cup measure and pour the 1 1/2 cups boiling water over. Stir well to mix and cover with a lid or a plate and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in pomegranate molasses. Set aside to cool.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil, tomato paste, red pepper paste and cumin. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Let cool.
- In a large bowl mix together the bulgur mixture with the cooked paste mixture. Stir to coat the grains thoroughly. Stir in the green onions, tomatoes, pickles, mint and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve garnished with pomegranate seeds and lettuce leaves.
Notes
- If using a coarse grain bulgur, pulse it in a food processor or high speed blender until it's the consistency of fine cornmeal. I buy a 20-ounce bag of Sadaf Bulghur #1 Fine from a Middle Eastern market, or you can buy fine grain bulgur wheat at online retailers. If unavailable, Bob's Red Mill Red Bulgur is readily found in most markets in the States and can be pulsed to a finer grain in a food processor or Vitamix blender.
- Biber Salcasi - Turkish Red Pepper Paste, is a wonderful paste that can be found with or without chiles in any Middle Eastern market. I prefer the one with a little heat. Made from red bell peppers and chiles, it is to Turkish cuisine what tomato paste is to Italian.
Nutrition
Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 827mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 738IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg