Becoming Bulgur: A Short History of This Ancient Grain

Whenever I think of good wholesome food, an image comes to mind: vast open spaces of wild nature. Wind. Rain showers that drench gardens and fields in moisture and collect in fragile droplets on fresh green leaves. Golden sunshine that delivers warmth and light and makes everything under its touch thrive.

This is how our food is meant to grow. This is the start of real life-giving nutrition, and the ancient people had it all sorted out, especially when it came to bulgur wheat. They knew, intuitively it seems, how to take a simple grain of wheat and make it become something more that could be used in a variety of ways to make sustaining meals.

In the absence of modern methods of preparation and storage, ancient societies needed to preserve wheat in a way that would protect it from mildew and mold and ensure its freshness and flavour. That’s how bulgur became what it is today––a boiled, cracked, sun-dried wheat kernel and wholesome food borne of an ancient process.

Where Bulgur Comes From

Bulgur is a staple ingredient where I come from. Although there is some debate about where bulgur originates, various sources point to Turkey, which I accept wholeheartedly because Turkey is my original home, and bulgur is my favourite food.

Like the cuisine in many Mediterranean countries, Turkish food includes bulgur in many dishes, from pilafs to casseroles to breakfast porridge. (Check out my favourite bulgur recipes here).

Photo: Bulgur balls with tomato-garlic sauce. Ancient meals made with bulgur certainly didn't present like this!

Well before we could associate this ancient grain to any one nation, bulgur had an impressive status among other super crops. A Chinese emperor in 2800 B.C. named bulgur one of the five sacred crops, among soybeans, barley, millet, and rice. The Bible suggests that the people of ancient Babylon, as well as Hittites and Hebrew communities harvested and prepared bulgur wheat as early as 4000 years ago! There are references to Arab, Israeli, Egyptian, and Roman populations eating dried and cooked wheat in 1000 B.C.

Throughout bulgur history, this highly nutritious grain has assumed many names. The Romans called it cerealis, the Israeliates called it dagan, and in the bible, it’s referred to as arisah, or “the first of the coarse meal.” I call bulgur soul food.

Traditionally, this parboiled and sun-dried wheat was used to make porridge or gruel. It was the perfect food to support an increasing population because it’s high in nutrition, it keeps for a long time, and it was more economically accessible than other foods.

While it was a primary source of sustenance in ancient times, in more modern times, bulgur is revered for its weight loss benefits.

How A Simple Wheat Grain Becomes Bulgur

You may have heard bulgur referred to as cracked wheat or wheat berries. While they all come from the wheat grain, bulgur is different from cracked wheat or wheat berries because it undergoes a different preparation process.

Bulgur becomes bulgur through an ancient preparation process called parboiling. Whole grains of wheat are collected from the plant’s spike and then separated from their protective chaff. This is where the expression “separating the wheat from the chaff” comes from––it was certainly a time-consuming and tedious process back then!

The whole wheat grains are then boiled until thoroughly cooked and look as though they’re about to break open. Then they’re dried and cracked so they can be used for various purposes, and the process allows the grain to be digested more easily. In ancient times, the wheat grains were boiled for days in some cases, then laid out under the sun to dry, hence the nickname “sun-dried wheat.” It certainly does taste the sun, nature, and fresh air.

I’m so happy to share my love for bulgur with you! Do you have a favourite bulgur recipe or is there something more you’d like to know about it? If so, feel free to leave a comment :)

Kitchen Is My Therapy is a one-woman enterprise born of love, passionate encounters with food, and wholesome, feel-good food therapy. If you have any questions, ideas, or inspirations you wish to share, feel free to reach out anytime.

Blessings,

Ginger Kroeze