Enjoy this fruity bulgur salad at your Tu B’Shvat seder.
Rabbi Judah, a sage who lived in the 2nd century, said that wheat – not an apple – was the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The stalks of wheat in the Garden of Eden were thought to have been “as tall as the cedars of Lebanon.” As Hannah described in her post on Tu B’Shvat, foods traditionally eaten on this holiday come from the seven species of Israel and since wheat is one, it’s fun to eat something delicious made from wheat.
Of course, today’s celebrations include all kinds of fruit that the Sages never dreamed of. Try this bulgur salad made savory and lightly sweet with dried and fresh fruit, seeds, and nuts. After all, not only tabbouleh does cracked wheat make.
Bulgur Salad With Fruit and Nuts
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 cup bulgur wheat, medium grade
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 stalk celery, sliced fine
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
2 tblsp. chives, chopped fine
1 apple, chopped into large dice
1 tblsp. runny honey
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
In a large heatproof bowl, mix the bulgur and the salt well.
Pour the boiling water over the bulgur and cover the bowl. The bulgur will absorb the water and cook. Leave it alone for half an hour. While it’s cooking, measure and prepare the other ingredients.
With a fork, fluff the cooked bulgur.Put the diced apple into the bowl on top of the bulgur. Pour the lemon juice over the apple to prevent it turning brown. Pour the honey over the apple.
Add the nuts, raisins, celery, sunflower seeds and chives and stir gently. Add the olive oil, cumin and cinnamon and mix again. Taste for seasoning.
Serve cold or at room temperature.
Of Israel’s 7 species, this salad represents three: bulgur as wheat, raisins as grapes, olive oil as, well, olives. All the other fruit are cultivated in Israel today – and there’s even an apple in there, just in case the apple of Eden theory is correct.
More recipes to celebrate Tu B’Shvat on Green Prophet:
2 Recipes for Arabic Almond Milk
Photo of Bulgur Salad by Miriam Kresh.
Miriam also writes a food blog.
Author: Miriam Kresh
Miriam Kresh is an American ex-pat living in Israel. Her love of Middle Eastern food evolved from close friendships with enthusiastic Moroccan, Tunisian and Turkish home cooks. She owns too many cookbooks and is always planning the next meal. Miriam can be reached at miriam (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
