Salmon Dinner with Bulgur Wheat And Tomato Salad




Last four days had been very draining. Lil Sid had constant high temperature, an ear infection and hives all over his tiny body. Neither he could sleep and nor could I. My super energetic kid refused to leave my lap for even a minute. Thankfully, he is on the road to recovery now. He's back to his antics and I heave a sigh of relief.

I haven't entered the kitchen during the last four days except to make the some tea to keep me going. Glucerna shakes and chick-fill-a salads sustained me. Today Sid is feeling better and would have his first solid dinner in four days - Aloo Seddho Bhaat (mashed potatoes and rice, Bengali style). I open up the fridge to find some leftover fresh Salmon fillet staring at me. Another day in the "Deli section" of the refrigerator and it would have to find its way into the trash can.

I was not in a mood to prepare anything fancy and I have a whining kid to attend to, who has lost all his appetite, thanks to the antibiotics. I also did not the enthusiasm to make brown rice, which I feel takes eternity to cook, specially on the days I am hard pressed for time. My next best alternative to rice would be Bulgur Wheat, my latest healthy eating obsession. I have made this delicious salad a couple of time and I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to chronicle it. This is exactly what I did.


In a big bowl, add 1 cup of dry Bulgur Wheat, salt, paprika and some grated ginger. Give the dry ingredients a good mix and pour 2 cup of boiling water and cover with a cling/plastic wrap. Chop 1 medium sized red onion and squeeze juice of half a lemon to get rid of that acrid taste.



Make a dry rub with salt, pepper, grated ginger, paprika (or red chili powder, if you want it hot) and few drops of lemon juice. Rub it well in to the fish pieces and let it hang out for sometime. 15 minutes should be fine.

After this I went to feed my son his dinner. He took around 40 minutes to finish 10 marble sized balls of Aloo Seddho Bhaat.


When I came back, the Bulgur Wheat had absorbed all the liquid and was all plumped up and fluffy. My packet instruction said water to wheat ratio to be 3:1, but I felt it becomes too chewy and looses its nuttiness. The 2:1 ratio of water:wheat works fine for me, but you decide how you want yours. I drizzle the wheat with 2 tbsp of EVOO, while its still warm.


Place the fish in a lightly sprayed aluminium line baking sheet. Spray some cooking spray on top of the fillets and broil on high for 6 minutes per side.


While the fish is in the oven, toss in the marinated chopped onions along with the lemon juice, halved grape tomatoes and chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves. Give it a good mix and check for seasoning. If required add salt and pepper. Refrigerate till ready to serve. 


Twelve minutes later, the beautiful bronzed up fish is out of the oven; ready to be served.


Spicy Broiled Salmon and a delicious Bulgur Wheat Salad Dinner is served for two!

Recipe Snapshot: Oven Roasted Tomato and Red Lentil Soup 

Serves: 4 serving
(1 serving = 3/4 cup)

What I used:
For the Bulgur Wheat And Tomato Salad:
Dry Bulgur Wheat - 1 cup

Boiling Water- 2 cups

Paprika - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp grated

Salt

Red Onion - 1 medium sized

Grape Tomatoes - 1 cup halved

Cilantro/ Coriander Leaves - a handful, chopped

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) - 2 tbsp

For the Broiled Salmon:
Salmon Fillets - 2 nos.

Paprika  - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 tbsp (optional, in case you like your fish Mild)

Lemon Juice - few tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp grated (you can use garlic instead or both)

Salt and Pepper

Oil spray

What I did:
For the Bulgur Wheat And Tomato Salad:
1. In a big bowl, add 1 cup of dry Bulgur Wheat, salt, paprika and some grated ginger. Give the dry ingredients a good mix and pour 2 cup of boiling water and cover with a cling/plastic wrap.

2. Chop 1 medium sized red onion and squeeze juice of half a lemon to get rid of that acrid taste.

3. After 30-40 minutes, the Bulgur Wheat would have absorbed all the liquid and plump up. Fluff with a fork and drizzle EVOO, while its still warm.

4. Toss in the marinated chopped onions along with the lemon juice, halved grape tomatoes and chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves. Give it a good mix and check for seasoning. If required add salt and pepper. Refrigerate till ready to serve. 

For the Broiled Salmon:
1. Make a rub with salt, pepper, grated ginger (you can use garlic, or both), paprika and red chili powder (if you want it hot) and few drops of lemon juice. Rub it well in to the fish pieces and let it marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Place the fish in a lightly sprayed aluminium line baking sheet. Spray some cooking spray on top of the fillets and broil on high for 6 minutes per side.

3.  12 minutes later, the beautiful bronzed up fish is ready to be served.

4. Server the Broiled Salmon with the Bulgur Wheat And Tomato Salad for a light yet flavorful dinner. 
Notes/Tip: Alternatively, you can marinate the fish with a mixture of store bought Tandoori Masala and Lemon Juice. Most Tandoori Masala are well seasoned and do not require additional salt. 

Diabetic Platter:
Bulgur Wheat is a Middle Eastern staple food. It is what's left after wheat kernels have been steamed, dried, and crushed. This cereal grain has been a food staple for years because it offers an inexpensive source of low-fat protein, making it a wonderfully nutritious addition to your low-calorie meal plan.
High in fiber and protein, and low in fat and calories, bulgur is another food that offers bulk and nutrients to fill you up without adding pounds. One thing to keep in mind, a cup of bulgur has fewer calories, less fat, and more than twice the fiber of brown rice.

Bulgur doesn't lose much from its minimal processing; it remains high in protein and minerals. That means it's an ideal foundation for meals, allowing you to skip higher-fat protein sources, like most meats.

Bulgur is also a standout in terms of its fiber content, just like whole wheat, and can help keep your digestive tract healthy as a result. The insoluble fiber it contains absorbs water, promoting faster elimination of waste, which prevents the formation of an environment that promotes the development of carcinogens.


Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-bulgur-ga.htm

Comments

  1. Wow that looks simply delicious and healthy. Must try it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for enlightening about bulgur wheat..Will enquirer if we get this in our nearby store. good to hear that your son is better now. TC

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deepa: Bulgur Wheat is nothing but processed Daliya, aka, Cracked Wheat. Hence the cooking time is less. The first time I made this salad was with Daliya only. I just cooked it on stove top till tender and drained off the water.

      Delete
  3. Very nice recipe and I like the presentation..

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Your thoughts and comments is what keep "A Whiff of Spice" going

Popular Posts