Pomegranate Molasses Bulgar, Chickpeas, Red Chard and Seitan 'Meat'

I have not spent much time in the kitchen recently, as I want to rest at the weekends and be proper lazy.  So I share this Pomegranate Molasses Bulgar, Chickpeas, Red Chard and Vegan 'Lamb' aka Seitan that I made from scratch a few weeks ago, when I had energy and inclination to both potter and experiment in the kitchen. 

The pomegranate molasses gave that sweet twang. chickpea always give nuttiness, but so did the Bulgar.  Its nice warm, but its also good at room temperature as a salad, but do keep the mock lamb sitting on top, so not to go too soggy from the red chard, which by the way from the garden plot.

The seitan mock lamb was surprisingly succulent and so much superior than those from the supermarket.  In fact I wish I had made this seitan mock meat for my vegan Plum and Lamb Curry.

I am sharing this Pomegranate Molasses Bulgar, Chickpeas, Red Chard and Vegan Seitan 'Lamb' Salad with Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen; and My Legume Love Affair #114  hosted by The Veg Hog.  The challenge was initiated by  Susan and hosted by Lisa's Kitchen.  

Other Bulgar Wheat Recipes
Bulgar Borlotti Burgers
Middle Eastern Sweet Potato Kibbeh
My Tabbouleh
Beetroot Bulgar
Spiced Vegetable Stew

Vegan Stuffed Peppers

I know stuffed peppers are considered old fashion vegetarian food, but I do like them, especially when flavoured well.  

But I had not planned on making Stuffed Peppers. ... Why?!

Well if you look closer, you can see that the peppers are getting a little wrinkly.  Sometimes I would throw peppers beginning to lose their shine and crispness in a vegan Chilli Pot, but this time I stuffed them with Bulgar wheat.  It made for a change.

For the recipe follow this Stuffed Pepper recipe and just replace the rice with Bulgar wheat.  I am sharing this with Credit Crunch Munch hosted by Utterly Scrummy Food For Families and Fuss Free Flavours for the simply reason that this is a frugal recipe and pepper can be stuffed with all kinds of vegetables and grains. Go on get creative. 

Middle Eastern Sweet Potato Kibbeh

The theme for Refugee Week  for 2016 is Welcome.  Refugee Week is a collective acknowledgement across the world to raise awareness  of the plight of refugees and asylum seekers across the world.   As my blog is a vegetarian food blog my Simple Act was to Cook A Dish from Another Country and try and raise some awareness that way among some of my readers.

Kibbeh is a popular dish from the Middle East, especially in Aleppo in Syria.  It is made from bulgar wheat, meat, onions, spices and then deep fried.   It often comes in torpedo shape croquettes which I have yet to master and many variations.  In Aleppo, Syria there are many varieties including those made with vegetables.  Some of you may remember me mentioning a Middle Eastern cookbook I found at my local library a little while back called Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East and North Africa (2000) by Habeeb Salloum which shared a a number of Kibber recipes, including one made with Pumpkin.  

Kibbeh is the national dish of many countries in the Middle East where refugees have fled from such as Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria respectively.  In 2011, an estimated 9 million Syrians were forced to flee their homes because of the outbreak of the Civil War.  This is perhaps the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War.

The first time I heard of kibbeh was from a Scottish mature student at the University.   It was in her home on the Southside of Glasgow when she cooked for me that I was  introduced to kibbeh and tabbouleh, tabbouli.  She told me she was of Armenian diaspora. She said her family had come into the UK after the Second World War.  I was completely fascinated as I knew nothing about the Armenian people.  We do forget how many people around us have refugee heritage and ancestry, even the UKIP leader Nigel Farage's ancestors were refugees from Huguenot background fleeing to England from France to escape religious persecution (The Guardian, May 10 2013).  Some of us are able to assimilate and change our names because of our skin colour.  Some of us who have been in this country for decades, born and bred will always be seen as immigrants; 'the Other' because of our skin colour.  

Anyway, it was only after graduating from University that I  attempted to make Kibbeh  from scratch , I have to admit I was not happy with the final dish, it was gritty.  Hence, I am glad to be given the excuse through Refugee Week to make it again. It was much lovelier this time. Its very much like a falafel that you stuff it in a pitta bread and munch.  Enjoy!  I am sharing this recipe with Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Searching for Spice; and Utterly Scrummy for the No Waste Food Challenge run by Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary. 

Chilli Coconut Bulgur Wheat Salad

I made way too much Bulgur wheat a week or so back to accompany my Groundnut Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry.   Instead of ditching it, I thought what else could i do with it.  I decided to make a salad with it that could be enjoyed over two days, one day as a main meal, the second day to take into work for lunch.   I decided to roast some vegetables that I had in the house courtesy of a complimentary vegetable box from new acquaintances.  These included a Romano Red pepper, carrots and my own home-grown broad beans.  But even then I thought the roasted vegetable Bulgur wheat salad  would have been too plain for my taste buds, so I decided to make a Chilli Coconut Relish to go with it.  The Chilli Coconut Relish was originally just going to be put on the side, but I decided to stir it into the Bulgur wheat.  It was terrific.  

The chilli coconut flavour relish is based on a Red Pol Sambol recipe.  Sambol or Sambal  is a Sri Lankan condiment often found ready made to be sprinkled on a curry or rice dish, or anything that requires a flavour boost or enhanced further.  Its really is simple. I was introduced to it by a Sri Lankan acquaintance a little while back, but never really had reason to make it before.  I don't think they will approve completely of my version, but let us not tell ay and keep it between us. 

Freekah In My Kitchen

Its been lovely and warm, maybe just a little too warm that when you get home after work or whatever, you really just don't want to cook, or at least spend an hour or so over a hot stove.  

Well here is a  grain, pulse and vegetable salad of sorts, its actually  Freekah Pilau made with homegrown yellow mangetout, garden peas and tinned chickpeas.  As it was my first time cooking with freekah.  I sought inspiration from my Middle Eastern cookbooks, and one book in particular gave me inspiration  Seductive Flavours of the Levant by Nada Saleh.

This recipe has two ingredients that may be new to some of you, as they were to me a while back.  These are freekah, also known as frik (burned green wheat); and Ajvar paste, a red pepper and aubergine paste. Freekah is available from Middle Eastern shops and health shops, this particular one is a brand called Artisan Grains.  

The Freekah Pilau  was lovely and made a pleasant change from plain bulgar wheat, couscous and even rice. Freekah definitely  has more texture than ordinary bulgar wheat, but for some reason I had expected it to have smoky undertones and it did not.  This is not a spicy dish at all. It is however nutty and well flavoured with plenty of wholesome texture and bite.  We have a fair bit over as the recipe makes a large amount, so we will both be having it for lunch tomorrow.

If you want to make a Middle Eastern Feast of it all serve the Freekah Pilau with falafel, dolmas and marinated green olives. 

Tabbouleh

There are so many versions of the Middle Eastern salad Tabbouleh.  Tabbouleh is also known as Cracked Wheat or Bulgar Wheat Salad.  I see it so often served at veggie cafes and buffets, that I don’t care to make it much.  But today the sun is shining, its scorching in fact that I wanted to make a lazy light salad. 

Its important to note that the star of a Tabbouleh is the fresh parsley, not the cracked wheat.  And don't go thinking of using curly parsley.  As far as I am concerned, curly parsley is only good for garnish.  For tabbouleh it has to be flat leaf parsley.  I like to use my motion rocking mezzaluna to finely chop the parsley.  Oh if you wanted to make it more than a light salad, then consider adding some cooked chickpeas to it and serving it with a garlicky yogurt. 

One of my favourite food writers and cooking inspirations, Nadine Abensur writes in her cookbook Cranks Fast Food that 'if authenticity is what your after, use small young lettuce leaves to scoop it up and eat with' . Well although I am growing some salad leaves, even baby gem, I don’t have any to hand at the moment to enjoy in this manner, so it has to be served with plain tortilla chips this time. Sorry.

For those of you still picking wild garlic, here's a link to a Wild Garlic Tabbouleh recipe that I made last year.  Otherwise, just follow the link and check out the tash man singing of his love for taboulleh or is it tabouli.

I am sharing this recipe with Simona of Briciole. She has the honour of hosting this week's Weekend Herb Blogging #335. This food blogging event now in its 6th year was started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and is now co-ordinated by Haalo of Cook (almost)Anything Once. 
My Tabbouleh
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
100g medium coarse bulgar wheat
1 large bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, about 100g 120g including the fine stalks
Optional: 1 bunch of fresh mint or coriander, about 20g
6 spring onions, finely sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 – 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped into cubes
½ English cucumber, cut into small cubes
Juice from 1 large lemon, about 4 tablespoons
4 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
Method
Place the bulgar wheat in a bowl and pour hot water over it.  Leave it for 30 minutes or so to absorb the water.
Wash the parsley and the min, and chop it very finely.  Once the bulgar wheat is soft, drain and press out any excess water.  Return to the bowl and ad the spring onions, salt and pepper to taste. 

Then combine all the other ingredients, adding the lemon juice and olive oil last.  Taste and tweak seasoning if necessary.  Serve at room temperature. 

Aubergine and Chickpea Kibbeh

A few weeks ago, I found myself perched on the settee watching one of the satellite food channels, showing an American celebrity chef checking out fast food outlets. In this one episode, he was at a Lebanese cafe. The chef showed a tray of baked Kibbeh. This way of making kibbeh was completely new to me, I’ve always known kibbeh to be torpedo shaped shells filled with minced meat or vegetables – taking time, effort and a lot of love to make.

Kibbeh is a middle eastern snack. For those of you not familiar with kibbeh, well think of falafels. But these are made with fine Bulgar wheat. The outer shell made from Bulgar wheat is shaped into a torpedo and then filled with minced meat, pine nuts and then deep fried. Nowadays, you will find so many variations, including vegetarian versions: red lentils, pumpkin, spinach, raisins, labneh, feta, mint and walnuts.

Well I thought, I’d have a go at making Kibbeh using the minimalist approach - as a tray bake. In this version I have used chickpeas and aubergines, two popular Middle Eastern ingredients.  I suppose I could have used TVP - Textured Vegetable Protein aka soya mince in place of the minced meat, but I am still working my way through my pantry, plus aubergines are in season. 

It is said that the best way to eat traditional Kibbeh is wrapped inside a lavash or pitta bread. However as I have chosen to make it in the style of a tray bake. Perhaps the best way to serve this one up is with some salad and a light tahini or pomegranate dressing.

The Aubegine and Chickpea Kibbeh tasted like grainy savoury pilau – delicate flavours of cumin coming through, velvety texture of the aubergines and crunch form the pine nuts.  Although the textures and flavours were warming, I have to admit I wasn't completely satisfied with final result.  For a start it looked rather sandy, not very appealing to the eyes.  Secondly, the Kibbeh fell apart when served. I think I will have to have another go at Kibbeh, just with a different recipe, or even have a go at making Kibbeh in the traditional manner - as deep fried torpedo's.

Aubergine and Chickpea Kibbeh
Serves 6
Ingredients
100g fine Bulgar wheat
450ml hot water
1 x 400g can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 generous teaspoon ground allspice
½ - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and minced
1 medium aubergine, chopped
55g pine nuts
1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup or lemon juice
Method
Place the Bulgar in a heatproof bowl. Add the hot water and let it stand for 20 minutes. Drain well to remove excess water. Return to the bowl. Coarsely chop the chickpeas and add to the Bulgar. Add the spices and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened. Add the aubergine and continue to cook stirring now and again until the aubergines are tender. Stir int he pine nuts and syrup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 6. Press half of the Bulgar-chickpea mixture into the bottom of a lightly oiled  baking dish, smoothing the top. Add the aubergine mixture, then cover evenly with the remaining Bulgar-chickpea mixture, pressing down until smooth. Bake until hot and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Adapted from Vegan Planet.

Wild Garlic Tabouli

Well the 'Wild Garlic Chronicles' have come to a happy end.  I know some of you will be relieved and some disappointed, but hey there is so much Wild Garlic a girl can eat and I have certainly eaten more than my fair share. 

Just in case any of you have been wondering about 'side effects' to consuming copious amounts of Wild Garlic, I can truthfully report that there have been no belly upsets or wakey wakey nights. I have really found wild garlic agreeable.

The last dish on my blog (for this year at least) to contain fresh wild garlic is Tabouli or Tabbouleh.  Tabouli  is a Lebanese salad made with a grain called bulgar wheat. The salad is enhanced with a lot of fresh parsley, mint and lemon for seasoning. You know there is even a Tabbouli Song. 

The first time I ever had Tabouli was whilst at University. I was invited for lunch at the home of a Scottish-Armenian friend.  I was so amazed to see her put the salad together there right before my eyes.  She made a mound.  A few years later, I saw Tabouli as part of a light buffet.  Tabouli is definitely one of those dishes you make for sharing.  Here is a Fairtrade Tabouli recipe. My recipe is very similar, except in place of the mint I've added about 6 leaves of minced wild garlic, black olives and some red pepper for colour.

A Bowl of Beetroot Bulgar

This deep black bowl is filled with grains dyed crimson from the bleeding beetroot. It is such a beautiful and dramatic colour that it shocks the senses. You are not quite sure what to expect.

When I originally saw the recipe for this Beetroot Bulgar Pilau, I thought it would be similar to the beetroot risotto I made early this year, but I have to say this was much superior. It is so good that I will certainly be making it again.
This Gothic crimson dish was sweet from the caramelized red onions, earthy from the beetroot and zingy from the squeezed lemon. I enjoyed every mouthful.

Ladle into bowls and eat with a spoon. Serve with a dollop of soured cream if you wish.
Beetroot Bulgar
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
2 medium red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium raw beetroots, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 generous teaspoon dried mint
175g Bulgar wheat
400ml boiling water
Lemon Juice to taste
Salt to taste
Method
Wash Bulgar under cold water to remove excess starch. Then set aside
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions, garlic and cook over a medium heat until caramelized, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to stop them from sticking.
Add the cumin seeds, chilli powder and cook for a further minute. Add the grated beetroot, Bulgar, mint and boiling water, then cover and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Season with salt and lemon to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. Adapted from Maria Elia Modern Vegetarian

Clay Pot Spiced Vegetable Stew

I don't rave about many stews, but this one I shall. The carrot and parsnip were perfectly cooked, the chick peas melted in the mouth and the Bulgur wheat gave it that extra texture and the fat red fiery looking chillies gave it that background heat. I can't believe its only taken me two yeas to make it again.

This is one of those stews that you should 'Eat as it is'. I don't think it needs an accompaniment like bread, as the Bulgur wheat, little as it is, does bulk up the stew and fill you up.
I made this in my black clay pot, so it could be served straight from the oven to the table. It can also be made in an ovenproof casserole dish, even a slow cooker if you have one. It is really a straight forward recipe and one to make when you have other things to be getting on with, indoors or outdoors. Just place all the ingredients into the pot, give it a stir now and again, and then add the final ingredients 30 minutes before serving. As the domestic goddess Nigella Lawson would say 'how easy is that!.

Clay Pot Spiced Vegetable StewServes 4 - 6
Ingredients
900ml or 1 ½ pint vegetable stock
1 onion, finely sliced
2 – 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 x 400g tin of tomatoes, roughly chopped
50g bulghur wheat
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 - 4 fat red chillies, pierced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 x 400g tin of chick peas

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Optional: drizzle with some good olive oil

Method
In a oven proof casserole dish or clay pot add the vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil, bulghur wheat, whole red chillies, herbs and spices and pour over the hot stock. Cover with a tight fitting lid and bake in the oven at mark 4 for 2 hours. Remove the lid and stir in the beans and tomato paste. Cover and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the stew from the oven and season to taste. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving sprinkled with the chopped parsley and optional drizzling of good olive oil. Adapted from Vegetarian Good House-keeping.

Hungarian aubergine Stew served with Bulghur wheat

Okay, okay I put my hands up, I know I have been a tad naughty as I have eaten two vegetables that are out of season: peppers a week or so ago and aubergine today. However, I think your should be lenient with me and give me some credit as I have been pretty good most of the year.
It is generally over the winter season when fresh vegetables of my own are low. I tend to rely heavily only store-cupboard ingredients, some of my home-made pickles, preserves and chutneys, as well as my freezer and cold stored vegetables such as onions, potatoes and garlic, but even they are not going to see me through the 'hungry gap'. So I rely on othere sources, such as grocery stores, supermarkets (and in some cases, like now some of the veg will be out of season). Also in my defence, as someone who lives in a small flat near the city, I am not self-sufficient. I don’t have acres of land, a small farm with chickens; or poly-tunnels to grow my own salad all year round. I aspire to that green, self-sustainable lifestyle, but in truth like many I cannot afford that place in the countryside, therefore do what is realistic and feasible for me now. So yes, I will lapse and be tempted by out of season ingredients not grown in the U.K, namely peppers and aubergines. I know this is not a good enough excuse, but these are two vegetables that I can’t seem to grow well even during the growing season, aaahhhh I know, I know, what a poor excuse. But heck I enjoyed what I ate.
I have to admit I was a little sceptic of this dish as the aubergine is not one of my favourite vegetables, or is it a fruit – anyway, I was splendidly surprised at how much I enjoyed the flavours. This is a hearty stew enhanced with the deep robust flavour of paprika. This stew is accompanied with a bowl of nutty, chewy bulghur wheat.

This is not the most photogenic of dishes either and to be honest looking at the texture brings back memories of when I really disliked both aubergines and mushrooms, thankfully those days are gone and I no longer hold a grudge towards these two particular ingredients.
Hungarian Aubergine Stew served with Bulghur wheatServes 2 – 3 (it could stretch up to 4)
Ingredients
For the bulgur wheat
200g Bulghur wheat
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1½ cup or 300ml boiling water
For the Hungarian aubergine Stew
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 medium aubergines
100g mushrooms or thereabouts (I used Portobello)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon of smoked Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
4 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
Plain yogurt or vegan alternative (for serving)
Method
In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, cook the bulghur and salt in the oil over medium heat, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes to lightly toast the bulghur. Add the boiling water, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for about 12 – 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. When the bulghur is done, turn off the heat and let it sit covered until ready to serve.
While the bulghur cooks, prepare the vegetables. Cut the onion into thin slices. Crush the garlic. Cut the aubergine in half length ways, then into sticks about 2 inches long and ½ inch thick. Slice the mushrooms.
In a large pot, over medium heat cook the onion, garlic, paprika, oregano and red pepper flakes in the oil. Stirring often until the onions begin to soften. Add the eggplant, sprinkle with the salt and cook, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook on low heart for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The dish should be thick and saucy. Serve on the bulghur, topped with yogurt. Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

Bulgur Borlotti Bean Burgers

I saw these Bulgur-Bean burgers on Barbara's blog Dish 'n' that a while ago and have been wanting to make them, so today was the day. A sit down in front of the TV kinda meal. I made a few subtle changes, for two reasons: I did not have pinto beans or parsley in the house. Secondly, I increased the amount of spices in the burgers to suit my taste buds, other than that the recipe is pretty much spot on.

Bulgur Borlotti Bean Burgers

Makes 6 - 8 burgers

Ingredients
1/2 cup bulgur
1x 400ml can borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, grated
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 medium egg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
A sprig or two of fresh coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh lettuce leaves, tomato slices and red onion rings

Method:
In a medium bowl, mix bulgur with 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 cup boiling water. Cover bowl, and let sit until bulgur is tender and all the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute the onion, carrot and celery in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until lightly browned, about five minutes. Add the coriander during the final minute; set aside.
Place beans in a medium bowl; mash with a potato masher. Add breadcrumbs, sauteed vegetable mixture, egg, cayenne, cumin, chili powder, tahini and bulgur. Season with salt and pepper; mix to combine.

Form mixture into 6 - 8 patties, each about 1 inch thick. At this stage you can leave them in the fridge to firm up. When ready to cook, in a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-low. Cook burgers until browned and firm, 5 to 8 minutes per side.

I served these with roasted Desiree potatoes and roasted green beans. All the fresh vegetables in this dish were my own, except for the celery, which was organic and Scottish.