Spicy Bulgur Lettuce Boats or Kirsur

learn to cook spicy bulgur lettuce boats

Spicy Bulgur Lettuce Boats or Kirsur

/ 27 June 2023 / 0 Comments

Move into summer with ancient grains. This dish is the perfect side for a bar-b-que, stovetop or oven. What I love about bulgur is that this grain requires no cooking. The grain is partially cooked so all you have to do is pour hot water on it and allow the grain to reabsorb it and it is ready to go. My favorite cucumber to use for this dish is a Persain cucumber. They are sweeter in flavor and have less seeds. You combine the cucumber with sweet summer tomatoes,crisp bell peppers, little baby gems or Romaine lettuce, toasted walnuts for crunch, with a light sourness of the pomegranate seeds with a drizzle of the pomegranate molasses dressing, you have yourself a healthy and delicious side to any meal.

Pomegranate molasses is a great ingredient to have in your arsenal of pantry staple items. It has several uses such as; a topping for ice cream, pancakes, rice pudding, dressings, marinades, and cocktails. Pomegranate molasses pairs well with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods like muhammara, kofte, and kirsur.


Bulgur is considered an ancient grain and is similar to quinoa and couscous. It is made of cracked wheat. It has the nutritional advantage of providing  fiber, magnesium, iron and protein. One cup of bulgur has 30% of the daily value of fiber recommended for a healthy diet.

Because bulgur is a wheat, some people with gluten sensitivities should avoid eating it.

INGREDIENTS:
 

  • 1 cup fine bulgur wheat
  • 1 1/2 cups boiled water
  • 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped small
  • 1 Persian cucumber, small diced
  • 3 green onions, minced
  • 1 bunch parsley, minced
  • 1/4 cup mint, minced
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
  • pomegranate seeds-optional
  • 2 baby Romaine lettuce leaves or Little Gems lettuce leaves, separated
  • Tzatziki sauce-optional
  • greek yogurt
  • dill, minced
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • Dressing:
  • 5 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 T. pomegranate molasses, plus more to taste
  • 3 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2-1 t. aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
  • dash of hot sauce- optional
  • salt and pepper to taste


INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a heat proof bowl add bulgur wheat and hot water.
  2. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. Allow grains to absorb the water completely.
  3. In a dry saute pan over medium heat, add walnuts and toasted for approximately 1-2 minutes.
  4. Chop the walnuts and set aside for the salad.
     

Dressing:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, aleppo pepper and hot sauce together.
  2. Stream in olive oil until well combined.
  3. Salt and pepper to taste
     

Assembly:

  1. Clean and separate the lettuce leaves. Set aside
  2. Add the dressing to the grain bowl.
  3. Add the green onions, tomatoes, cucumber and herbs to the grain bowl.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning. If needed, add more pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, spice and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Spoon bulgur salad on lettuce leaf.
  6. Add chopped walnuts and Tzatziki sauce on top of bulgur salad.
     

Enjoy!