Sesame Red Cabbage served over a bed of Bulgur
I am obsessed with this dish! I love the contrast of the purple color of the cabbage sprinkled with white sesame seeds and green onions. It looks fantastic and inviting. The sweetness from red onions and cabbage and nutty flavor from the toasted sesame oil served over a bed of bulgur is comforting and satisfying. I can’t wait for you to try it.
It is a good thing this dish is so healthy for you because you are going to eat a lot of it! The red cabbage is one of the healthiest vegetables for you. This red-purple vegetable is full of vitamins, minerals, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Bulgur, on the other hand, is a parboiled whole grain that is full of protein, fiber, and minerals. It does not need to be cooked since it has been parboiled. In this recipe, I decided to simmer it to speed up the process.
Ingredients:
½ head of red cabbage
One medium red onion
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Three cloves of garlic
Two teaspoons of toasted sesame oil
Two teaspoons of white or brown sesame seeds
One green onion to garnish at the end (optional)
To prepare the bulgur:
One cup of bulgur ( parboiled cracked wheat)
Two and a half cups of water
½ teaspoon of salt to cook the bulgur
One teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Rinse the half head of red cabbage and slice thin lengthwise. Set aside. Slice the red onion thin as well. Next, chop your garlic.
In a pan over medium heat, add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the sliced red onions. Cover and let cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the red onion turns soft, and the color turns light pink. Then add garlic, salt, black pepper, red cabbage. Let cook for about 5 minutes or until the red cabbage becomes soft.
When the red cabbage becomes soft, and the onions almost melted, add the toasted sesame oil, mix, and let cook for about a minute. Then remove from the heat and set aside.
To cook the bulgur. Place one cup of bulgur in a fine strainer and rinse it well under running water.
In a pot over medium heat, add the two and a half cups of water, salt, bulgur, and extra virgin olive oil. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
At the 10 minutes mark. The bulgur should be cooked, soft, and fluffy by now. Turn off the heat and set aside.
To serve, place the bulgur in the middle of the plate, then add the red cabbage onion mixture, sprinkle some sesame seed on the top and chopped onion and et voila! Enjoy!