Name: Kısır (Turkish Bulgur Salad)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: ¾ cup Broken Wheat, fine bulgur style, rinsed; ¾ cup Water, hot, for hydrating; 1 tbsp Turkish Pepper Paste, for the dressing; 1 tsp Tomato Puree, for depth; 2 tbsp Olive Oil, for dressing; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, fresh; 1 Tomato, finely diced; ½ Cucumber, finely diced; ¼ cup Spring Onion Greens, thinly sliced; ¼ cup Parsley, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped; ½ tsp Salt, adjust after mixing; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, for seasoning; 4 Lettuce, leaves, for serving

30 mintotal

20 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Place the rinsed broken wheat in a bowl. Pour the measured hot water over it, cover, and let it hydrate until tender.
Fluff the hydrated grains with a fork. They should be tender but not wet.
In a separate bowl, whisk the Turkish pepper paste, tomato puree, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Add the dressing to the grains and rub it through gently with a spoon until evenly colored.
Fold in the tomato, cucumber, spring onion greens, parsley, and mint leaves.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with lettuce leaves as scoops or as a side salad.

How to tell it's done

The salad should be moist but not soggy, with tender grains, crisp vegetables, and fresh herbs.

Getting it right

Tip

Do not over-soak the grains; kısır should be fluffy and separate, not mushy.

What to serve it with

Serve as part of a mezze-style plate with lettuce leaves, olives, grilled vegetables, or soup.

Common mistakes

The bulgur is wet and the salad turns to paste.: Use just the measured hot water and let the grains take it all up, then fluff with a fork. Bulgur soaked in a bowlful of water like pasta swells to mush and there is no draining it back.
The colour is patchy.: Rub the pepper paste dressing through the grains with your fingers or the back of a spoon before any vegetables go in. Poured over a finished salad it coats the tomato and leaves the bulgur pale.

Substitutions

Broken wheat is used as the current master-list match for bulgur; choose the finest available grade for the closest texture.
Fresh coriander may replace parsley, but it changes the Turkish herb profile.
Add a small amount of chilli flakes only if a spicier kısır is desired.

Storing and reheating

Keeps two days in the fridge and the flavour deepens overnight. Add the herbs and cucumber fresh if you are making it ahead — both go limp and water the salad down by the second day.

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Ingredients