Spicy Bulgur Salad / Kısır

'Kısır' a cold fresh herb salad is one of the most popular dishes in Turkish cooking. It is typical Turkish. It resembles a Mediterranean/Arabic dish called tabbouleh.

Kısır is made of Bulgur, sometimes referred to as cracked wheat. It is served sometimes with the afternoon tea, sometimes as an appetizer, meze, and sometimes as a great summer or winter dish. We Turks just love it and I believe you, your friends and family will enjoy "Kısır". 

Great dish for vegeterians too. In Turkish cooking the recipe for kısır varies from region to region. Every cook has his own way of making kısır with a slight different mix of herbs and vegetables. Kısır is fresh, colorful and crunchy and sour with the combination of fresh vegetables.

It is very easy to make and is also great for entertaining. Its flavor gets better as the salad ages, so you can make it well beforehand. It will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fine bulgur
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 heaping tbsp sweet red pepper paste
• 2 heaping tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp  pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp balzamic vinegar
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp salt, more or less to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp sumac
• 1 bunch of(10-15)green onions

How To:

Put the bulgur and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour the boiling water over it. The water should completely cover the bulgur. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Set aside for about half an hour to allow the bulgur to soften.
 
While the bulgur softens, peel the onion and garlic and chop them finely. Put 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, and heat. Add the onion and garlic  and sote them until soft. Add the tomato paste, pepper paste, sumac and cumin and continue soteing. Add the 2 tablespoon hot water, mix and remove from the heat.

Add  the onion mixture to the softened bulgur and mix well, fluff the bulgur up with your fingers or with a fork. Drizzle the olive oil, lemon juice, sour pomegranate molasses, balzamic vinegar over the top and toss it through with your fingers or with a fork.

Add more salt and black pepper if needed. Chop the green onions and parsley finely. Add them and remaining spices to the bulgur mixture and continue tossing with your fingers or with a fork until all the ingredients are evenly mixed.

 Bon Apetit!

 {gallery}kisir{/gallery}