Wheat groats salad made from bulgur – Kisir

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 250 g bulgur, fine (Turkish wheat groats)
• 3 m.-large tomato(s), aromatic, finely diced, without stems
• 1 bunch of spring onions, sliced ​​into thin rings
• ½ red bell pepper(s), cut into small cubes
• 3 peppers, green, pitted and finely diced
• 1 bunch parsley, flat, finely chopped
• some stalks of parsley, finely chopped, for decoration (or coriander)
• 1 bunch mint, (alternatively 3-4 tsp dried)
• ½ tsp rosemary, dried, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste, heaped
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder, ground, sweet
• n. B. salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon(s), the juice
• 10 green olives without stones
• 1 stalk(s) celery, finely diced
• 1 cucumber(s), thinly sliced ​​as garnish

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

super-aromatic side dish or starter from Central Anatolia, slightly Mediterranean pimped

Bulgur is made primarily from durum wheat and is a staple food in the Middle East. It can be found in well-stocked supermarkets these days, and certainly in Turkish delicatessens. Place the bulgur in a bowl and pour boiling water over it until the groats are about 1 cm deep. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it swell for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, wash the vegetables (tomatoes, spring onions, bell peppers, chili peppers, celery, and olives), dry them if necessary, and prepare them according to the ingredients list (diced or sliced). Rinse the parsley and mint, pat them dry with kitchen paper, and chop them finely. Then vigorously mix the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, rosemary, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, as well as the olive oil and lemon juice, to form a spice paste and let it stand for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, the bulgur should have completely absorbed the liquid. If not, wait a little longer or drain the excess liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Now mix the bulgur vigorously and persistently with the spice paste. Then fold in the chopped herbs and the prepared “vegetables,” season the salad again with salt and pepper, and then let it sit for about 20 minutes. Depending on the “absorbency” of the bulgur, you can give the kisir a velvety, glossy consistency by stirring in a little more olive oil. Kisir is great as an appetizer sprinkled with parsley (or cilantro) and garnished with cucumber slices, as a side dish to fried fish or meat, or as “finger food” when served in the smaller heart leaves of salads (e.g., romaine or endive) at a buffet. A nice variation is to replace the celery with a finely diced, medium-sized fennel bulb. This results in a somewhat “licorice” and earthier flavor. If you liked this Mediterranean variation of Kisir, try replacing the rosemary with thyme, savory or other Mediterranean herbs.