Cracked Wheat Salad

It is a healthful and delicious salad prepared with parboiled cracked wheat, cilantro leaves, mint, tomatoes, onions, and lemon. It tastes great when it is chilled for an hour before serving.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Burghul (parboiled cracked wheat)
• ¼ cup finely chopped tomato
• ¼ cup finely chopped cucumber
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 Finely chopped green chili
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Rinse burghul several times.
• In a large mixing bowl, pour one cup of hot water over the cracked wheat and cover, let stand for about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed.
• When it's ready, drain any excess water, if necessary, and squeeze dry.
• Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss the mix.
• Combine lemon juice, black pepper powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wheat mixture and mix well.
• Refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving.

Do you know?

Many wheat varieties are reddish-brown due to phenolic compounds present in the bran layer which are transformed to pigments by browning enzymes.

White wheats have a lower content of phenolics and browning enzymes, and are generally less astringent in taste than red wheats.

The yellowish color of durum wheat and semolina flour made from it is due to a carotenoid pigment called lutein, which can be oxidized to a colorless form by enzymes present in the grain.