Fresh Herb & Lemon Bulgur Pilaf

From EatingWell: March/April 2009 — Subscribe Now!

This pilaf, made with nutty bulgur, gets plenty of bright flavor from fresh dill, mint, parsley, ginger and lemon.

6 servings, about 1 cup each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Nutrition Profile

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

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups bulgur, preferably medium or coarse (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped carrot
2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup lightly packed finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup lightly packed finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup lightly packed finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet or broad shallow saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add onion, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 12 to 18 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add bulgur, turmeric and cumin and cook, stirring, until the bulgur is coated with oil, about 1 minute.
Add broth, carrot, ginger and salt and bring to a boil, stirring. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until all the broth is absorbed and there are “eyes” or indentations in the surface of the bulgur, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir the pilaf.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
Stir dill, mint, parsley and lemon juice into the pilaf. Serve topped with walnuts.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add more lemon juice and/or salt to taste 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 chopped walnuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 277 calories; 12 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 10 g fiber; 507 mg sodium; 420 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (120% daily value), Vitamin C (25% dv), Magnesium (22% dv), Iron (15% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

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