Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad)

About This Recipe

Kisir is a fine bulgur salad from southeastern Turkey, closely related to Levantine tabbouleh but distinguished by its use of Turkish red pepper paste and pomegranate molasses, which give it a deeper, tangier profile. Fine-grain bulgur is soaked (not boiled) in hot water until tender, then tossed with a bold dressing of olive oil, pepper paste, tomato paste, lemon and pomegranate molasses before the vegetables and herbs go in. Loaded with parsley, mint, scallions, tomato and cucumber, kisir is often scooped and eaten with lettuce leaves as edible spoons, making it as much a hands-on mezze as a composed salad.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsfine bulgur
• 1.5 cupsboiling water
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2 tbspred pepper paste
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 tbsppomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1cucumber(finely diced)
• 2tomatoes(finely diced)
• 4scallions(chopped)
• 1 cupfresh parsley(finely chopped)
• 1/4 cupfresh mint(chopped)
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspAleppo pepper (pul biber)
• 1romaine lettuce(leaves separated, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bulgur

   Pour boiling water over the fine bulgur in a large bowl, cover, and let sit 15 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed.

2. 2

   Make the dressing

   Stir tomato paste, red pepper paste, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice into the softened bulgur while it's still warm.

   Mixing the paste into warm bulgur helps the flavors distribute evenly through every grain.

3. 3

   Add the vegetables

   Once slightly cooled, fold in cucumber, tomato, scallions, parsley and mint.

4. 4

   Season

   Season with salt and Aleppo pepper, tasting and adjusting the balance of tang, heat and salt.

5. 5

   Chill briefly

   Let the salad sit at room temperature or chilled for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve with lettuce leaves for scooping, or as a side to grilled meats.

Variations

• •

  A version without pepper paste, closer to plain tabbouleh, is common in home cooking when the paste isn't on hand.

• •

  Adding pomegranate seeds on top gives extra bursts of tartness and color.

• •

  Some cooks add finely diced green pepper for extra crunch and a slightly bitter note.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; the flavor actually improves after a day as the bulgur absorbs more of the dressing.

Frequently Asked Questions