Bulgar wheat

[Cudzoziemiec]

I wanted to buy some more cous-cous, but they didn't have any so I got bulgar wheat instead, as it looks similar(!  ). AFAIUI both are simply varieties or treatments of wheat, but it looks like bulgar wheat has to be properly boiled rather than just soaked in boiling water. Is this right? How else does it differ? And can anyone give me any tips or tasty recipes to use it?

Thanks 

[pcolbeck]

Do a search on tabouleh it's very similar to couscous but made with bulgar wheat.

[delthebike]

Put it in soups and stews. Turn it into Sugar Puffs.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Tabouleh looks good, and stews are a good idea. I'm not that keen on grainy things in soups, but can give it a try.

But sugar puffs? Thanks, but no thanks.

[delthebike]

Tabouleh looks good, and stews are a good idea. I'm not that keen on grainy things in soups, but can give it a try.

If you mean a grainy texture they're not if cooked properly.
How much have you bought?

[Cudzoziemiec]

No, I haven't tried cooking it yet. I was just thinking how some people add rice to soups and although I like rice, I find it just "wrong" in soups.

I've got half a kg of it. I'm presuming it expands hugely like couscous, or indeed rice.

[pcolbeck]

Bulgar wheat is just what it says. Couscous is a more manufactured product in that it is a ground grain that is then rolled to form the balls which are then coated in semolina. Couscous you buy in shops has usually been steamed already hence all you have to do is add hot water.

[delthebike]

I've got half a kg of it. I'm presuming it expands hugely like couscous, or indeed rice.

Here's a tip: Cook all of it in one go and freeze what you don't need today.
You'll need a big saucepan for half a kg. Get one that you think is big enough and then a second pan the same size. 

[Cudzoziemiec]

I'm short on saucepans as it is!

But why cook and freeze? Why not just cook a smaller quantity and use? Though in fact I'm always cooking too much of everything adn end up using lots of leftovers.

[delthebike]

But why cook and freeze? Why not just cook a smaller quantity and use?

I'd rather have one batch cook off, YMMV. Also it'll take the best part of two hours per session.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Two hours! Won't be eating that tonight then. Thanks.

[pcolbeck]

You dont cook it just soak it in cold water for two hours.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I've got half a kg of it. I'm presuming it expands hugely like couscous, or indeed rice.

Here's a tip: Cook all of it in one go and freeze what you don't need today.
You'll need a big saucepan for half a kg. Get one that you think is big enough and then a second pan the same size. 

You dont cook it just soak it in cold water for two hours.

So cook and freeze, or soak and freeze then cook as required? I's confuzzled.

[delthebike]

You dont cook it just soak it in cold water for two hours.

The destructions on a packet I bought, Sainsbury's brand, said to boil for 15 mins, change the water, and then boil again for two hours or until soft. (it may have been referring to the saucepan base though  )

[pcolbeck]

Never seen a recipe  that says to cook the cracked wheat well not for tabouleh anyway maybe for other uses of bulgar wheat you do cook it, For tabouleh you just soak it. Various recipes say between 1/2 and hour and two hours with two being the most common.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Cooking for two hours does seem rather unlikely to me. But hey, I'm asking the questions not providing the answers!

I'll try *something* with it tomorrow and see what happens. I may have to launch a saucepan fund!

[delthebike]

Cooking for two hours does seem rather unlikely to me. But hey, I'm asking the questions not providing the answers!

I'll try *something* with it tomorrow and see what happens. I may have to launch a saucepan fund!

What does the packet say to do with it?

[Oaky]

I've never done anything more than covering it with boiling water and leaving it to soak.  I don't recall it ever needing more than about 30 minutes.

[campagman]

I'm as this ^^. Maybe takes a bit longer.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Finally got around to cooking it yesterday, and realised there are actually two separate instructions on the packet! Either cover with cold water, boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes till all the water is absorbed, or soak in boiling water for 30 minutes.

So what did I do? Well, I opted for a halfway option. Poured boiling water over it, brought it back to the boil and simmered it for maybe 10 minutes. It was a bit overdone TBH. I think next time I shall use the boiling water and soak method, which is what I do for couscous. It really seems to be a coarser version of couscous.

[Tail End Charlie]

Bulgar wheat is great when camping. I cover it with boiling water for 10-15 minutes and it's ready.

The wholewheat version is pretty foul though. Too strong a taste.

[pcolbeck]

It really seems to be a coarser version of couscous.

That's because it is. Couscous is made from ground duram wheat ie semolina flour rolled up into little balls then dipped in wheat flour. It's essentially little balls of pasta.

Bulgar as used in tabouleh is just duram wheat that has been de branned and usually par boiled and then dried. It's much less processed than couscous.

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's amazing how many things are really "little balls of pasta" without quite being like pasta!