Rebecca’s recipes of the week: Bulghur Wheat with Courgettes | Canalside Community Food

Courgettes sautéed with sweet spices and coriander against a satisfying backdrop of warm bulgur wheat. This simple recipe is much greater than the sum of its parts. I think it’s the cinnamon.
The proportions are pretty flexible.
serves 3-4.

Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic, or more to taste
1 bunch (or a big handful) of coriander, stalks removed
about 2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 courgettes, chopped into fairly small pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
about 600ml water or stock
200g fine bulgur wheat (aka crushed wheat or cracked wheat)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Grind the garlic and coriander together, or chop them fine. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic-coriander paste for a minute or two.

Add the courgettes, and after a minute add the cinnamon and freshly-grated nutmeg. Continue to fry for a few more minutes.

Add 500ml of the water or stock, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4 minutes.

Add the bulgur wheat, bring back to a simmer, and simmer for 5-10 more minutes, until the wheat is tender and liquid is absorbed. Taste it occasionally: if the bulgur isn’t tender enough add some more of the water or stock and let it cook a little longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the lovely, pale green mixture in a blue bowl.

(Recipe courtesy of Mona Whitbread.)