Bulgur Pilavı (Tomato Bulgur Pilaf)
بلغور پلاوی (ٹماٹر والا بلغور پلاؤ)
Before rice became common, was the everyday grain of Anatolia, and bulgur pilavı is still how many Turkish families eat it. Coarse bulgur is toasted in butter with onion and green pepper, coloured red with tomato and pepper , and cooked in stock until fluffy. It has more fibre and a nuttier bite than rice, and it soaks up kebab juices beautifully. Pakistani cooks can make it with coarse dalia when bulgur isn't available.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 25 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the butter and oil in a over medium heat and cook the onion and green peppers for 5–6 minutes until soft.
Add the pepper paste and grated tomato and cook for 3 minutes until thick and fragrant.
Add the bulgur (no need to soak it) and stir for 2 minutes so every grain is coated.
Pour in the hot stock with the salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle over the dried mint, cover with a towel under the lid and rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Serve with kebabs, köfte or grilled chicken and a bowl of yogurt.
Kitchen notes
Use coarse bulgur for pilav. Fine bulgur is for kısır and köfte and will turn mushy here.
If using coarse dalia, toast it a little longer and add an extra ¼ cup of water.
For a heartier version, add a cup of boiled chickpeas with the stock.
Anatolia’s everyday grain
is wheat that has been boiled, dried and cracked. That pre-cooking means it cooks in 15 minutes, and drying it was how villagers stored the harvest for winter. In the countryside of central and eastern Turkey, bulgur pilavı is still eaten more often than rice.
Flavour from paste, not spices
Like many Turkish dishes, bulgur pilavı gets its colour and depth from red pepper and tomato fried briefly in butter, rather than from ground spices. Onion and green pepper add sweetness, and a pinch of dried mint at the end gives freshness.
Fluffy grains
Unlike rice, bulgur doesn’t need soaking. Coat it in the buttery paste, add hot stock, and leave it alone on the lowest heat. The same towel-under-the-lid rest used for şehriyeli pilav keeps the grains separate.
Serving
Bulgur pilavı goes with tavuk şiş, Adana kebab, köfte and yogurt. With a fried egg on top, it’s a quick, filling dinner on its own.
Questions people ask
Is bulgur healthier than rice?
It's a whole grain, so it has more fibre and protein than white rice and keeps you full longer.
Where can I buy bulgur in Pakistan?
Larger supermarkets and stores selling Arab or Turkish products often carry it, as do online grocers. Coarse dalia is the closest local alternative.
Can I make it without pepper paste?
Yes. Use an extra tablespoon of tomato paste and half a teaspoon of paprika.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 270
- Protein
- 7 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
