Türkiye’s rich cuisine is shaped by thousands of years of traditions, flavors, and stories, sealed together with the art of gathering over food.
This recipe for Kisir hails from Hatay, a province famous for its fresh vegetables, olive oil, legumes, and cereals. Ideal as a light summery salad of sorts, Kisir is a healthy dish, loaded with veggies and herbs. Often considered an appetizer, it is traditionally served as part of a mezze platter during afternoon tea or at get-togethers.
More impressively, the Turkish age-old culinary philosophy of zero waste stills holds true. Use your favorite vegetables, including any leftover ones hanging out in your fridge to add your own personalized flavor palate to the traditional dish. There are, however, a few Turkish staples you may not have on hand, namely: 
- Fine Bulgur Wheat – Bulgur is a wheat, specifically a whole grain, high in both fiber and folate. With a similar texture to couscous, fine bulgur wheat cooks quickly and does not need to be boiled. For a gluten-free option, try swapping bulgur with quinoa instead.
- Pomegranate Molasses – Adds a sweet and tart finish to any dish. Find a bottle of it at your local Mediterranean store. You’ll get plenty of use long after you’ve made this recipe — throw it in your next salad dressing or Greek yogurt bowl.
- Red Pepper Paste – Thicker than your usual tomato paste, you can find it at your local Mediterranean market or most supermarkets. If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s pretty easy to make too.
Put your mixing spoons away for this dish — Kisir is made with love, using your hands. Like kneading bread, hands are the best tools for ensuring that all of its flavors harmoniously seep into each other.
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Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This recipe for Kisir hails from Hatay, a province famous for its fresh vegetables, olive oil, legumes, and cereals. Ideal as a light summery salad of sorts, Kisir is a healthy dish, loaded with veggies and herbs. Often considered an appetizer, it is traditionally served as part of a mezze platter during afternoon tea or at get-togethers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine bulgar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2.5 cups of hot water (not boiling)
- 1 white medium onion
- 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 tablespoon of red pepper paste
- 7–8 spring onions
- 1/2 bunch of parsley
- 1/2 bunch of dill
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 4–5 long green peppers
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons
- 1 head of romaine lettuce, rinse and divide leaves
Instructions
- Pour the 2.5 cups of hot water over the bulgar in a bowl, add salt, then stir, and seal tightly with cling wrap. Leave it to soak for 15 minutes.
- Prepare your ingredients in the meantime — Grate the white onion. Chop the tomatoes and green peppers into small pieces. Dice up the spring onions. Finely chop the parsley, dill, and any other herbs of your choosing. Juice the lemons.
- Now that the bulgar has soaked up the water, add the grated onion, red pepper flakes, cumin, and red pepper paste. Mix with your hands.
- Add the spring onion, parsley, dill, tomatoes, and green peppers. Mix with your hands for a few minutes.
- Add olive oil and lemon juice. Mix with hands.
- Scoop the kisir and serve on a lettuce cup.
Notes
Chef’s Note: In addition to parsley and dill, feel free to include ample amounts of fresh mint to this recipe. During the winter when tomatoes and green peppers are not in season, the salad is prepared with an extra amount of red pepper paste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Turkish
