[Sca-cooks] 15th C. Ottoman Bulghur w/Chestnuts

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Sep 19, 2007, at 8:19 PM, Lilinah wrote:

> Bulghur - Based on my reading of other recipes, it is likely that the
> Ottomans prepared bulghur either with broth or water. Broth would be
> more flavorful, so that what i plan to do. It is quite edible if just
> soaked in liquid and not actually cooked over a fire. Modern bulghur
> pilavs simmer the bulghur about 25 min. But if i can keep a burner
> free, that would be nice. Any opinions, based on cooking and/or
> eating bulghur, as to whether i should just soak the bulghur in hot
> broth (which would free up a stove burner) or actually put it over
> the fire?

Bulgur's steamed before drying, I'm pretty sure, so you can pour  
boiling water over it in the right proportions, and it'll soak it up  
and "cook", if it's not too coarse and you stir occasionally... this  
assumes you don't want it _really_ soft.

I've cooked bulgur in food service operations, when no one was  
looking, with hot water from the coffee urn ;-). People kept asking  
what my secret for perfect bulgur was.

Adamantius