I'm always looking around for alternatives to more or less traditional side dishes I take on back country trips (rice, pastas, couscous, etc.) and was considering making tabouli on my upcoming trip.

However, during my preparation I decided to do a little experimentation.  One suggestion that was actually on the bulgar package was for wheat pilaf.  Not liking the instructions that well, I improvised and to 1 cup of bulgar (and ultimately 3 cups of water) I added onions and mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, salt, garlic salt, Ms. Dash (garlic and herb), parsley flakes.  Turned out very tasty.

After having consumed a sample of this and enjoying the texture and somewhat nutty taste, I was wondering if bulgar could be used as a breakfast food (assuming I made extra the night before and wanted a relatively quick meal in the morning).  Since the pilaf recipe called for baking, I also wanted to see if the recipe could be produced on a stove top.  So I prepared another batch...this time with only water, salt and margarine.  As the mixture neared the correct consistency, I also added raisins and a bit of sugar.  This also turned out to be quite tasty and very filling.

I was just wondering if anyone else had used bulgar on canoe trips and what they had tried as a recipe.  One of the features I particularly like about this product is the "bulk up" factor -- 1 cup of bulgar produces about 4 cups of the final recipe.

Happy cooking!

dd

near east brand also make a falafel that cooks up exceptionally well. pairs well with tortillas for a quick light weight meal.

thebutcher