#bxllockdown Day 13

VEGAN WEEK / RECIPE 1

It’s time to kick back, get a nice cuppa and read about… yes you guessed it! FOOD.

I’m officially kicking off my week of vegan food challenge. Read, research, fuse cuisines together and eat vegan. That is my motto for the week.

Our first recipe is an old favourite and one of the first things we made during my Turkish Vegan Cooking Workshops. I’m happy to kick off this week with Kisir (aka bulgur-wheat salad with tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses /or/ just lemon juice if you can’t find it)

It is super simple, cooks in no time, very filling and low on calories. Win! win!

Kisir is a specialty in the southeast of Turkey, where the country’s spicier dishes come from.  Kisir is generally made with sour pomegranate molasses (nar ekshisi) and lemon juice. This dish is perfect for dinner parties and as a side salad for any meal. It really is a “bowl of goodness” with fresh vegetables, bulgur is packed with fiber and goodness. 

What you Need:

• 500gr medium-coarse bulgur wheat
• 1,5 liters hot water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon hot red pepper paste (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sweet red pepper paste
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes or red pepper flakes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 large or 6 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• Large handful parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Lettuce leaves to serve

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What you Do:

1) Run your hands through the bulgur to check for stones, remove if any

2) Wash the bulgur in a pot with cold water (twice), and drain using a sieve

3) Boil the water and pour it over the drained bulgur and add the salt and cover with a clean cloth for at least 15 min

4) Meanwhile finely chop the spring onions, tomatoes, and the parsley

5) When ready unwrap the bulgur and  add the tomato paste, hot and sweet pepper paste, mix well

6) Now add the black pepper, paprika, and the chili flakes. At this point taste the mix to check the seasoning, adjust as needed

7) When the bulgur cools down add the fresh tomatoes, the spring onions, and the parsley, mix well

8) Finally add the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and the olive oil and mix well

9) Taste, adjust seasoning if needed and serve in romaine or gem lettuce cups

ENJOY!