Bulgur Salad with Asian Accents

From EatingWell: May/June 1995 — Subscribe Now!

Asian flavors like soy, ginger and sesame are a nice complement to nutty bulgur in this quick grain salad. Peppery radish sprouts are a tasty garnish.

4 servings, 1 1/4 cups each

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Heart healthy | High fiber | View Complete Nutrition Guidelines»

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups water
1 1/4 cups bulgur, (see Note)
2 cups lightly packed radish sprouts, (3 ounces)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup toasted cashews, (see Tip)

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan; stir in bulgur, remove from the heat, cover and set aside until the water has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Spread the bulgur out on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Combine the cooled bulgur, sprouts and scallions in a serving bowl.
Whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, chile-garlic sauce and honey in a small bowl. Pour over the salad and toss well. Garnish with cashews and serve.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: The salad can be made without the sprouts up to 2 hours ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator; add sprouts just before serving.

Note: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which is simply that—cracked wheat. Since the parboiling step is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at kalustyans.com, lebaneseproducts.com.
Tip: To toast cashews: Spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring once, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 268 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 10 g fiber; 420 mg sodium; 346 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Magnesium (28% daily value), Vitamin C (19% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1 fat