I was introduced to this very hearty, nutritious and fulfilling side dish when I visited Turkey for the first time back in 1992 and I have been making it since. It has now become one of my family’s favorites; I serve it with my steaks, tagines, stews, kebabs or we enjoy eating it just by itself.

Bulgur Wheat comes in fine, medium and coarse. When making pilaf, you would want to use the coarse kind, so it doesn’t get mushy when cooked. The other two kinds are best used for making salads.

You need 7 simple ingredients to make this delicious dish:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1/3 cup chopped green pepper, the sweet or the spicy kind, whichever you prefer
• 1 1/2 cup broth or if not available, use water and 2 bouillon cubes
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until translucent. Add the chopped green pepper and tomato and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, broth, salt and pepper to taste and bring everything to a light boil. Stir in the Bulgur and bring it to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Steam the Pilaf for about 20 – 30 minutes. Check after 20 minutes to see if it is tender. If not continue steaming it for another 10 minutes. Garnish the top with chopped scallions or fresh parsley.

Serve and Enjoy! 👩🏻‍🍳👌🏻