Bulgur

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Name Variations

 * cracked wheat
 * bulgur wheat
 * ala
 * birghil
 * Bulgar
 * bulghur
 * burghal
 * burghul

About bulgur
Wikipedia Article About Bulgur on Wikipedia

Bulgur, or bulgur wheat, is more properly known as burghul in the Middle East and North Africa. Burghul (Bulgur) is made from durum wheat grains that are boiled and dried or toasted. Bulgur is often confused with cracked wheat, which is made from crushed wheat berries. Both bulgur and cracked wheat, however, can be made either by first removing the bran or not. Thus there are whole-grain, high-fiber versions of each, and no standard is set. Burghul (Bulgur) is most often found in Middle Eastern and Armenian dishes. It has a light and nutty flavor.

Bulgur can be used in pilafs, soups, bakery goods, or as stuffing, but is best known as a main ingredient in tabouli salad and Kibbeh. Its higher nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous.

Bulgur wheat is mentioned in Jimmy Buffett's "Cheeseburger in Paradise".

Cracked wheat
Einkorn wheat was one of the earliest cultivated forms of wheat, alongside emmer wheat (T. dicoccon). Grains of wild einkorn have been found in Epi-Paleolithic sites of the Fertile Crescent. It was first domesticated approximately 9000 years ago, in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A or B periods. Its cultivation decreased in the Bronze Age, and today it is considered a relic crop that is rarely planted. It remains as a local crop, often for bulgur (cracked wheat) or as animal feed, in mountainous areas of France, Morocco, Yugoslavia, Armenia and other countries.