Bulgar Wheat Number 3 - Coarse

A whole wheat grain that has always been popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, Bulgur Wheat has taken the health-conscious culinary world by storm in the West. Although mainly known as the cornerstone of Tabbouleh, Bulgur Wheat is a versatile ingredient, equally suited for a main dish or as a hearty accompaniment to a protein like lamb, fish, meat or chicken. Bulgur Wheat #3 is the coarsest available, and more suited for soups, stews and pilafs. 

What is bulgur wheat, exactly? This ingredient comes from whole grain kernels of wheat, which are cracked, parboiled and then dried. The raw version of Bulgur Wheat would be wheat berries. The main difference is that this pre-cooking and drying dramatically shortens the cooking time, and cooks in about 15 minutes. Cooking bulgur wheat is super easy, and it cooks much like couscous (which is a pasta not a grain). Two parts water, one-part bulgur wheat, boil, simmer covered until tender. Like quinoa, you can use bulgur wheat in many dishes & grain bowls, to add protein and crunch to salads, or use it as a substitute for rice in a stir-fry. 

One of the added benefits of bulgur wheat is that it is perfect for vegetarian and vegan diets, since it has a lot of protein, fiber and other nutrients. Use it to make your own veggie burgers or meatballs!  Or add to soups to beef them up. The chewy texture and mild flavor makes it a must-have in any pantry.