Wikipedia

Bulgur

Coarse bulgur

Bulgur[1][a] or borghol[2][b] is a cracked wheat foodstuff found in Middle Eastern[3] and South Asian cuisines, among others. It is a cereal food made from the groats of several different wheat species.

Characteristics

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Bulgur, cooked
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy350 kJ (84 kcal)
18.58 g
Sugars0.10 g
Dietary fiber4.5 g
0.24 g
3.08 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Vitamin A equiv.
0%
0.0 μg
Vitamin A1 IU
Thiamine (B1)
5%
0.057 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
2%
0.028 mg
Niacin (B3)
6%
1.000 mg
Vitamin B6
5%
0.083 mg
Folate (B9)
5%
18 μg
Vitamin C
0%
0.0 mg
Vitamin D
0%
0 μg
Vitamin E
0%
0.01 mg
Vitamin K
0%
0.5 μg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
1%
10 mg
Iron
5%
0.96 mg
Magnesium
8%
32 mg
Phosphorus
3%
40 mg
Potassium
2%
68 mg
Sodium
0%
5 mg
Zinc
5%
0.57 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water78 g
USDA Nutritional Database
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[4] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[5]

Bulgur is produced by parboiling raw wheat, which is then de-hulled, dried, and cracked.[6] Bulgur is a common ingredient in cuisines of many countries of the West Asian cuisine and Mediterranean Basin,[7][self-published source?][8][9] such as Syria.[10] It has a light, nutty flavor.[11]

Bulgur is recognized as a whole grain by the United States Department of Agriculture.[12]

Composition and nutrition

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Cooked bulgur is 78% water, 19% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and contains negligible fat (table). A 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference serving supplies 350 kilojoules (84 kilocalories) of food energy. A study of uncooked samples from different sources found, with some variation between samples, about 9% protein, 11% moisture, 1% ash, 70% starch of which 2–2.8% beneficial resistant starch, 7% fibre, mostly beneficial insoluble fibre.[13]

Etymology

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Look up bulgur in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The word bulgur is the Turkish pronunciation of the Arabic burghul (برغل), which is ultimately borrowed from the Farsi barghul.[14][15]

History

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Assyrian woman pounding bulgur, Tell Tamer, 1939

Bulgur originated in the ancient middle east, food historian Gil Marks dates it to circa 4000BC.[15] It is one of the first processed foods ever created.[15] In medieval times, it was used to create kishk; a yogurt preserve made by drying a yoghurt and milk mixture, recipes for it can be found as early as the 10th century in the Arabic cookbook kitab al-tabikh by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq.[16] Bulgur was largely unknown in North America until the 20th century when it was brought in by Armenian, Syrian, and Jewish immigrants.[15][17]

Culinary uses

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Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on
Coarse bulgur

Bulgur does not require cooking, although it can be included in cooked dishes; soaking in water is all that is needed.[18]

Coarse bulgur is used to make pottages,[19] while the medium and fine grains are used as breakfast cereals,[20] and in pilavs, breads,[21] salads such as kısır, and dessert puddings such as kheer.[22][23] Bulgur porridge is similar to frumenty, a cracked wheat porridge that was a staple of medieval cuisine.[24][25]

In breads, it adds a whole-grain component. It is a main ingredient in kibbeh and in tabbouleh salad. It is often used where rice or couscous could be used. In Indian and Pakistani cuisine, bulgur is often used as a cereal to make a porridge with milk and sugar, or a savory porridge with vegetables and spices. It can be used to accompany other dishes in the same way as pasta or rice.

Armenians prepare bulgur as a pilaf in chicken stock, with or without sautéed noodles, or cooked with tomatoes, onions, herbs and red pepper.[citation needed] Finely ground bulgur is used for making eetch, a salad similar to tabbouleh.[26]

In Greece, it is known as πλιγούρι (pligouri) and in Cyprus as πουρκούρι (pourkouri), where it is used to make κούπες (koupes, known as içli köfte in Turkish), a variety of kibbeh. It is deep-fried, with a crust made of fine bulgur, flour, oil, salt and egg, filled with ground meat (beef, pork, or both), onions, parsley and spices.

The Saudi Arabian version of bulgur, especially common in Nejd and Al-Hasa, is known as jarish (Arabic: جَريش).[27]

Production and consumption

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A 2007 study published in the Journal of Food Engineering found that the consumption of bulgur in south and east Turkey was 2 and 2.5 times that of pasta and rice, respectively, with the average person consuming 25 kilograms of bulgur annually, and in the Levant, Arabia, Iran, and Iraq, it reached 30-35 kilograms annually.[3]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^
  2. ^ Egyptian Arabic: برغل, romanized: borġol, cyrillized: боргьол, pronounced [boɾˈɣoɫ]

References

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  1. ^ "Bulgur". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 15 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Burghul | Define Burghul at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.reference.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-17. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  3. ^ a b Bayram, Mustafa; Öner, Mehmet D. (March 2007). "Bulgur milling using roller, double disc and vertical disc mills". Journal of Food Engineering. 79 (1): 181–187. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2006.01.042. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  4. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  5. ^ "TABLE 4-7 Comparison of Potassium Adequate Intakes Established in This Report to Potassium Adequate Intakes Established in the 2005 DRI Report". p. 120. In: Stallings, Virginia A.; Harrison, Meghan; Oria, Maria, eds. (2019). "Potassium: Dietary Reference Intakes for Adequacy". Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. pp. 101–124. doi:10.17226/25353. ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. NCBI NBK545428.
  6. ^ Celine Steen; Tamasin Noyes (15 November 2015). The Great Vegan Grains Book: Celebrate Whole Grains with More than 100 Delicious Plant-Based Recipes * Includes Soy-Free and Gluten-Free Recipes!. Fair Winds Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-62788-826-4. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  7. ^ Irina Petrosian; David Underwood (2006). Armenian Food: Fact, Fiction & Folklore. Lulu.com. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4116-9865-9. Archived from the original on 2023-07-04. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  8. ^ LeeAnne Gelletly (17 November 2014). The Kurds. Mason Crest. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-63355-946-2. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  9. ^ Albala, Ken (25 May 2011). Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood. p. 261. doi:10.5040/9798400652585. ISBN 978-0-313-37627-6. OCLC 1452736210. S2CID 60031138. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Syria's Detainee Files". PBS.
  11. ^ Victoria Wise (3 December 2004). The Pressure Cooker Gourmet: 225 Recipes for Great-Tasting, Long-Simmered Flavors in Just Minutes. Harvard Common Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-1-55832-201-1. Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  12. ^ Jacqueline B. Marcus (15 April 2013). Culinary Nutrition: The Science and Practice of Healthy Cooking. Academic Press. p. 561,300. ISBN 978-0-12-391883-3.
  13. ^ Tacer Caba, Zeynep; Boyacioglu, M. Hikmet; Boyacioglu, Dilek (2012). "Bioactive healthy components of bulgur". International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 63 (2): 250–256. doi:10.3109/09637486.2011.639748. ISSN 0963-7486. PMID 22136100.
  14. ^ "bulgur". Nişanyan Sözlük (in Turkish). Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  15. ^ a b c d Marks, Gil (17 November 2010). "Bulgur". Encyclopedia of Jewish Food. HMH. ISBN 978-0-544-18631-6. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  16. ^ al-Warrāq, al-Muẓaffar Ibn Naṣr Ibn Sayyār (26 November 2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens: Ibn Sayy?r Al-Warr?q's Tenth-Century Baghdadi Cookbook. Translated by Nawal Nasrallah. BRILL. pp. 74, 291, 570, 559. ISBN 978-90-04-15867-2. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  17. ^ Salloum, Habeeb; Center, University of Regina Canadian Plains Research (2005). "Burghul: The cornerstone of our diet in the depression years". Arab Cooking on a Saskatchewan Homestead: Recipes and Recollections. University of Regina Press. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-88977-182-6. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  18. ^ Yonan, Joe (15 July 2014). "Weeknight Vegetarian: Don't cook these grains. Soak them". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  19. ^ Shulman, Martha Rose. "Winter Tomato Soup With Bulgur Recipe". NYT Cooking. Archived from the original on 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  20. ^ "Breakfast Bulgur Porridge". Martha Stewart. 2011-01-03. Archived from the original on 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  21. ^ Shulman, Martha Rose. "Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread With Bulgur Recipe". NYT Cooking. Archived from the original on 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  22. ^ Salloum, Habeeb (2012-02-28). The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0524-9. Archived from the original on 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  23. ^ "Recipe: Bulgur pudding with fruit, nuts and honey". Los Angeles Times. 11 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  24. ^ Rogosa, Eli (2016-07-01). Restoring Heritage Grains: The Culture, Biodiversity, Resilience, and Cuisine of Ancient Wheats. Chelsea Green Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60358-671-9. Archived from the original on 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  25. ^ Diehl, Daniel; Donnelly, Mark P. (2011-04-13). Medieval Celebrations: Your Guide to Planning and Hosting Spectacular Feasts, Parties, Weddings, and Renaissance Fairs. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-4430-0. Archived from the original on 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  26. ^ "In Lebanon, women are carving their way into the culinary scene". Middle East Eye. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  27. ^ Maby, Lyn (November–December 1975). "Food from Saudi Arabia". Saudi Aramco World. pp. 32–40. Archived from the original on 2015-01-07.
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