what is it and how to cook from it?

Many housewives are accustomed to cooking rice, buckwheat and other traditional cereals as a side dish. Bulgur will be a great alternative to such dishes. Such cereals have not only a pleasant taste, but also a lot of useful substances. Having prepared something from bulgur, you can easily diversify your bored daily diet.

Like any cereal, bulgur has its own characteristics and structure. Therefore, before you buy a pack of the coveted cereals, you should find out more information. This applies to the properties of the product, as well as the characteristics of its preparation. Let’s consider the main differences between bulgur and other cereals.

What is it?

This type of cereal is widely used in eastern countries. There, bulgur is one of the most common side dishes served with vegetables, fish and meat. They create a product based on wheat harvested during milk maturity.

The grains are dried, steamed and cleaned from bran. At the last stage, they are crushed and packaged in packages. Outwardly, bulgur looks like a cereal made from corn. Another feature of bulgur is a significant increase in volume during cooking. This makes porridge economical and affordable for everyone.

What are the varieties of bulgur?

When choosing cereals in a store, you should pay attention to its variety. The main criterion for the classification of bulgur is the degree of grinding of the grains. There are the following types:

• large;
• middle;
• small.

Most often, you can see large cereals in stores. It must be boiled, and only then served as a side dish. It will be ideal for cooking pilaf and various cereals. An example would be extraordinary oriental bulgur pilaf with mushrooms.

Fine grinding is suitable for baking various flour and bread products. Medium grits are useful for making warm salads, unusual snacks and soups. Those who consume dietary food should pay attention to the coarse grinding. Any kind of bulgur is not completely boiled down, and under conditions of long-term storage it does not lose its friability.

What are the benefits?

Experienced nutritionists and gastroenterologists speak positively about cereals, since they have a number of beneficial properties. Bulgur contains the following components:

• minerals;
• vitamins E, K and B;
• complex carbohydrates;
• Beta-carotene;
• phytonutrients;
• fatty acid;
• fiber;
• saccharides;
• macro- and microelements.

Eating porridge on a regular basis has a positive effect on all systems of the human body. Due to the presence of useful components in the composition, meals based on cereals can normalize metabolism, heal the nervous system and have a beneficial effect on hair and skin.

In addition, the positive effect is manifested in strengthening muscles and bones, normalizing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels. Intestinal motility also improves and immunity increases.

How is bulgur prepared?

Groats do not cook for long, it all depends on the variety chosen. If you have purchased small cereals, then it is not necessary to cook them. It is enough to pour in boiling water and leave to infuse for a while. For large and medium cereals, you need to take water and the product in a 2: 1 ratio. The time depends on the specific recipe.

Do not soak and rinse the cereal before cooking. It is recommended only to fry the grains in butter or olive oil, which makes the taste of the porridge richer. The best option for cooking is a dish with a thick bottom. When choosing dishes, remember that bulgur can grow almost 3 times. During cooking in a multicooker, you need to select the “Buckwheat” mode.