# Turkish bulgur pilaf — ingredients and method

Easy enough for every day, good enough for any table: onion, pepper and tomato sautéed and folded into bulgur. Copy the ingredients to your room, tick off what you have at home, and keep the steps on your phone.

*Serves 4 · 25 min*

**In short:** Turkish bulgur pilaf for 4 needs 2 cups of coarse bulgur, an onion, 2 long green peppers, a tomato, a tablespoon of tomato paste, butter, oil and 3½ cups of hot water. Sauté the vegetables and paste, toast the bulgur in the fat, then simmer covered on the lowest heat for 12–15 minutes. Steaming it for 10 minutes under a cloth-lined lid keeps the grains fluffy and separate.

## Ingredients

- Coarse bulgur — 2 cups
- Onion — 1 medium
- Long green peppers — 2
- Tomato — 1 large
- Tomato paste — 1 tbsp
- Butter — 2 tbsp
- Vegetable oil — 2 tbsp
- Hot water — 3½ cups
- Salt — 1 tsp
- Black pepper — ½ tsp
- Yogurt — to serve

## Method

1. Rinse the bulgur in lukewarm water and drain. Finely chop the onion, dice the peppers small and cube the tomato.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a wide pot; cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until it turns pink.
3. Add the peppers and stir for 2 minutes; add the tomato paste and cook for a minute until fragrant, then add the tomato and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the bulgur and toast for 2 minutes until coated in the fat. Add the salt and pepper and pour in the hot water.
5. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat to its lowest, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until the water is absorbed.
6. Take off the heat, lay a clean cloth under the lid and let it steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve with yogurt.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why does bulgur pilaf turn mushy?

Usually too much water or too much stirring. Use about 1¾ parts hot water to 1 part bulgur (3½ cups to 2 cups), don't lift the lid or stir once it simmers, and let it steam off the heat for 10 minutes.

### Do you have to wash bulgur for pilaf?

Rinsing coarse bulgur once in lukewarm water and draining it removes loose dust and starch, so the grains stay separate. You can skip it, but the pilaf may come out slightly stickier.

### How long does bulgur pilaf keep?

In a covered container in the fridge it keeps 2–3 days. Cool it promptly instead of leaving it out for hours, and sprinkle in a spoonful of water when reheating.

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As long as you use it. A list is only deleted after a month without any activity; even opening the room resets the clock.

### Can I install it on my phone?

Yes. With the room open, tap "Save Room" to add it to your home screen and open it with one tap.

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