The Amazing Versatality of Bulgur

Food culture researcher and writer Aylin Öney Tan presented another seminar on a unique ingredient of Turkish cuisine; bulgur. This versatile ingredient has been an important factor of Anatolian cuisine for centuries. To summarize in Mrs.Tan’s words:

“The first agriculture started in the Fertile Crescent, North Mesopotamia, South East of Turkey. Göbeklitepe near Urfa has revealed the earliest evidence of the start of wheat cultivation. Turkey is home to the earliest varieties of wheat in the world. First, domesticated wheat varieties like einkorn (Triticum monococcum) and emmer (Triticum dicoccum) were used as food circa 10,000 BC. The domestication of wheat and other grains was a major step toward the rise of farming communities which lead to the great civilizations of Anatolia.  

All ancient civilizations of Anatolia have considered wheat as a symbol of fertility.  All fertility Gods and Goddesses in Anatolian history carry wheat, like Demeter, Kubaba, Tammuz, Ceres, just to name a few.

Bulgur making is a strong tradition in Gaziantep. In old times it was made in huge amounts on the outskirts of the city. Making of bulgur was a communal activity where people socialized.”

Mrs. Tan continued to explain all different types of bulgur varieties as well as dishes. She also shared a few slides where a simple ingredient like bulgur has taken on different forms and entered into sophisticated menus of new age chefs.

After the lecture the participants were offered a variety of bulgur dishes all cooked with different methods; analı kızlı (soup with bulgur  patties), müceddere (bulgur pilaf with green lentils), altı cacıklı fellah köftesi (bulgur patties with yogurt sauce), and bulgur helvası (bulgur helva).

7 November 2016