afoona
Bulgur with Fried Onion and Pine Nuts
Pasta & Rice

Bulgur with Fried Onion and Pine Nuts

Classic bulgur with rich caramelized onion and toasted pine nuts - a perfect Middle Eastern side

⏱ 1 hr🍽 4 servings 🌍 Middle Eastern👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 2 parts

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Fried onion

  1. 1
    Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat.
    ⚙ Pan-fryingStovePot
  2. 2
    Add the onion and fry for 30–40 minutes, stirring, until the onion caramelizes and turns deep golden.
    ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
    💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.

To assemble

  1. 3
    Remove half the onion and set aside for serving.
    Slotted spoon
  2. 4
    Add the pine nuts and fry 2 minutes, until golden.
    ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
  3. 5
    Add the bulgur and the turmeric and cumin and stir 2 minutes, until all the grains are coated in fat.
  4. 6
    Add the chicken soup, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil.
    Stove
  5. 7
    Turn down to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.
    ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid
    💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
  6. 8
    Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.
    💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
  7. 9
    Gently stir in the parsley.
  8. 10
    Gently fluff with a fork, sprinkle the reserved onion on top and serve.
534calories
13 gprotein
52 gcarbs
27 gfat
● protein 10%● carbs 41%● fat 48%

Per serving (372 g), of 4 servings

For the Fried onion · To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (4) · 🍳 One cooking vessel

  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Lid · Also works: Aluminum foil (tight aluminum foil) · Plate (an upside-down plate)
  • Pot · Also works: Deep skillet (sauté pan) (less liquid, faster evaporation) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Wok (For quick cooking)
  • Slotted spoon · Also works: Spider strainer (None) · Tongs (For large pieces)

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