Published
Fine or coarse bulgur: which one for which dish
Fine bulgur for tabbouleh and kibbeh, coarse for burghul bi banadoura and mujaddara: how to tell the grinds apart and cook each one, from our shelves.
Bulgur (burghul, برغل) is wheat that has been parboiled, dried and cracked. The same grain is cracked to different sizes, and the size decides the dish: fine bulgur softens by soaking, coarse bulgur needs cooking.
Fine bulgur: soak it, don't boil it
Fine Brown Bulgur (برغل ناعم, bourghol na3em) has small grains that soften in water or lemon juice, so it needs little or no cooking.
- Tabbouleh. Rinse a few spoonfuls, drain, and let them soften on the chopped tomato and lemon juice before you add the parsley, mint and onion. Tabbouleh is mostly parsley; the bulgur is there for texture.
- Kibbeh. Soak the bulgur briefly, squeeze it dry in your hands and knead it with minced meat and onion, or with pumpkin or potato for the meatless kinds (kibbet la2tin, kibbet batata).
- Also: salads, stuffings, and a spoonful to thicken a soup.
Coarse bulgur: cook it like rice
Thick Brown Burghul (برغل خشن, bourghol 5ichin) has large grains that keep a firm bite. Rinse it, then simmer it in water or broth, as you would rice.
- Burghul bi banadoura. Soften onion in oil, add chopped tomato or tomato paste, then the bulgur and water. Cover and cook on low heat until the liquid is absorbed.
- Burghul bi sh3ayriyye. Brown a handful of
Vermicelli (Shaayreyh) in oil or butter, stir in the bulgur, add water and cook covered: the bulgur version of rice with vermicelli, served with stews or yogurt. - Mujaddara. Cook
Green Lentils until almost soft, add coarse bulgur and more water, and finish with plenty of fried onions. Many families make it with rice instead; both are common. More in Red, green and crushed lentils.
A rough starting point for coarse bulgur: about two cups of liquid for each cup of grain, 15 to 20 minutes on low heat, then a few minutes off the heat with the lid on. Adjust to the dish and the pot.
Brown or white?
Our shelves also have 
White Bulgur, lighter in colour than the brown and cooked the same way. Look at the size of the grain to decide whether it suits a soaked dish or a cooked one; the colour is mostly a matter of taste and habit.
By weight, in the amount you need
Bulgur is sold loose by the kilo here, so you can take a little fine bulgur for one bowl of tabbouleh and more of the coarse for the week's cooking. Bring a clean, dry container; here is how refilling works.