Pourgouri is a traditional Cypriot recipe. Pourgouri is a delicious accompaniment made from bulgur wheat and vermicelli noodles which is full flavoured, easy to make and goes with just about everything!
Pourgouri is a Bulgur wheat recipe. Bulgur Wheat Recipes have been around for literally thousands of years (I think the earliest known use was 1000 BC). Which I kinda like, I like the feeling that what we’re cooking and eating is echoing what people have done for thousands of years, I find it a little humbling and something honest about it.
You can find a version of pourgouri all over the Greek Islands and throughout the Middle East.
Pourgouri (pron. bu-goori) is perfect with souvlaki, fish (especially grilled sardines!) or mixed with lots of herbs and pomegranate seeds for a lovely vegetarian recipe.
The thing is, Pourgouri is just so easy to cook and is really tasty! I really like it with a big pinch of chilli flakes and it is surprisingly good microwaved the next day… result!
Anyway, here’s how to make your own Greek bulgur wheat dish (pourgouri pilaf):
Pourgouri Ingredients:
150 gm / 1 scant cup course grain bulgur wheat – rinsed
Good drizzle of olive oil (3 tbsp)
1 onion diced
30 gm vermicelli noodles – raw, roughly broken up
1 tbsp tomato paste (you could use fresh grated tomatoes aswell)
300 ml / 1.25 cups stock (chicken is ideal or veg if you want a vegetarian dish)
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp dried mint
Teaspoon salt, some pepper
Optional: add some fresh coriander and chilli flakes for garnish
Method:
- Gently fry the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes until translucent – don’t colour
- Now add the vermicelli noodles and fry until just turning golden
- Add paprika, seasoning and bulgur wheat – stir through
- Add tomato paste followed by stock
- Cover and gently simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes
- Turn off heat and let rest 10 minutes before serving
- Taste for seasoning, garnish with chopped coriander, squeeze of lemon and even a hit of chilli flakes if you want.
Goes well with anything!
Pourgouri – Greek Cypriot Bulgur Wheat Recipe
Pourgouri is common Greek Cypriot Bulgur Wheat Recipe and the perfect accompaniment to pretty much anything!
Pourgouri Ingredients
- 150 gm / 1 scant cup course grain bulgur wheat – rinsed
- Good drizzle of olive oil ((3 tbsp))
- 1 onion diced
- 30 gm vermicelli noodles – raw (, roughly broken up)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste ((you could use fresh grated tomatoes aswell))
- 300 ml / 1.25 cups stock ((chicken is ideal or veg if you want a vegetarian dish))
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- Teaspoon salt (, some pepper)
- Optional: add some fresh coriander and chilli flakes for garnish
Method:
- Gently fry the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes until translucent – don’t colour
- Now add the vermicelli noodles and fry until just turning golden
- Add paprika, seasoning and bulgur wheat – stir through
- Add tomato paste followed by stock
- Cover and gently simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes
- Turn off heat and let rest 10 minutes before serving
- Taste for seasoning, garnish with chopped coriander, squeeze of lemon and even a hit of chilli flakes if you want.
Goes well with anything!
I love this dish, my mum used to make it all the time. I’m making it today to go with green beans baked in tomatoes with some cod filllets – it smells great!.
That’s great!
Hi, I think that proportions of stock are wrong in this recipe, 300 ml of stock isn’t enough, it gets absorbed almost immediately by bulgur, so there is no way one can cook it for 10 minutes even on low fire.
Hi Audrius, thank you for leaving me a comment – you had me worried for minute (I even retested the recipe!). I like to cook mine so it is still quite al dente.
The recipe does work (the water added needs to be just boiled), but I also tried it with 400ml and it still worked – it’s quite forgiving. Thanks again for commenting and love to hear how you get on!
Hi again, you are right. I’ve cooked it a few more times and the proportion of 1 to 1 does work. Thank you for responding.
1 to 2, my mistake 😉
My YiaYia used to make this all the time, my favourite dish ever! She used to add bacon to it when she was at the frying stage
Hey Chris, that sounds delicious with the addition of bacon! I think I’ll give that one a go!
My father also added bacon or pork, I do the same,
Funny , it’s what I had this evening for dinner
I shall be keeping a careful eye on your blog for any mistakes ……….. lol !!
My father was a chef and he taught me a lot about cypriot cooking
All the best & Good luck
S
Bacon or pork! I love it! Close enough to be counted as a vegetarian dish!