Bulgur Bowl With Spinach, Mushrooms and Dukkah Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4

For the Dukkah

• ¼cup lightly toasted unsalted peanuts or almonds
• ¼cup lightly toasted sesame seeds
• 2tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2teaspoons nigella seeds
• 1teaspoon ground sumac
• ½teaspoon salt (or to taste)

For the Bulgur and Vegetables

• 1cup coarse bulgur (#3)
• 2cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
• Salt to taste
• 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional if desired for drizzling
• ½red onion, thinly sliced across the grain
• 1pound white, cremini or wild mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 2 to 4garlic cloves (to taste), minced
• 2tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1½pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and washed, or 12 ounces baby spinach, washed
• 1cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 to 2tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Preparation

1. Step

   1

   Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur and salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, uncover and place a clean dish towel over the pan, then replace the lid. Allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes or longer. Alternatively, reconstitute the bulgur just by placing it in a bowl, mixing with salt to taste, and pouring on 1½ cups boiling water or stock. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, until the bulgur is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer to a strainer and press out excess water. Set aside.

2. Step

   2

   To make the dukkah, chop the nuts very fine. Mix with the toasted sesame seeds in a bowl. In a dry skillet lightly toast the coriander seeds just until fragrant and immediately transfer to a spice mill and allow to cool completely. In the same skillet toast the cumin seeds just until fragrant and transfer to the spice mill. Allow to cool. When the spices have cooled, grind and add to the nuts and sesame seeds. Add the nigella seeds, sumac and salt and mix together.

3. Step

   3

   In a large, heavy skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat and add the red onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is very tender and lightly colored, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Step

   4

   Add the mushrooms to the skillet and turn up the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring or tossing in the pan, until the mushrooms begin to sweat, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring, until just tender and moist, another couple of minutes. Add the remaining olive oil and the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and stir in the wine. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the liquid in the pan has evaporated, and add the spinach and salt to taste. Cook, tossing the spinach in the pan with tongs, until the spinach has wilted, which shouldn’t take much longer than a couple of minutes. Add the dill and stir everything together.

5. Step

   5

   Combine the bulgur and chickpeas and heat through, either on top of the stove or in the microwave. Spoon into wide bowls and top with the mushrooms and spinach. Arrange the red onions on top and if desired add a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle each serving with about 2 to 3 teaspoons dukkah and serve.

Tip

• Advance preparation: The bulgur can be cooked ahead; it keeps for about 3 days in the refrigerator. The dukkah keeps for several weeks in a cool dry place. I recommend the freezer.