Kısır
Fine bulgur soaked and kneaded with tomato and pepper paste, dressed with lemon and pomegranate molasses, full of herbs. Eaten in lettuce leaves.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- —
- Rest
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Kısır is a bulgur salad from southeastern Turkey, and it is mostly bulgur. Fine bulgur is soaked in just enough boiling water, kneaded while warm with tomato paste and red pepper paste until every grain is red, then dressed with olive oil, lemon and pomegranate molasses. Spring onions, parsley, mint and tomato go in last. It should be moist and clumping, not wet, sour-sweet from the molasses and with a slow heat from the pepper paste. Spoon it into crisp lettuce leaves and eat it with your hands. It improves after an hour in the fridge.
What you'll need
15 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Bulgur, fine (köftelik)250 g
- Water, boiling300 ml
- Tomato purée, tomato paste15 ml
- Red pepper paste, Turkish biber salçası, hot or mild30 ml
- Olive oil74 ml
- Pomegranate molasses30 ml
- Lemon, juiced1
- Spring onion, finely sliced5
- Parsley, finely chopped1 bunch
- Mint, fresh leaves, chopped1 handful
- Tomato, seeded and finely diced2 medium
- Cumin, ground2½ ml
- Chilli flakes, pul biber4.9 ml
- Salt4.9 ml
- Lettuce, cos or romaine, leaves separated, to serve1
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Put the bulgur in a wide bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir once, cover with a plate and leave for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are soft but not mushy.
15 min
Step 2
While it is still warm, add the tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin, chilli flakes and salt, and knead with your hand for 2 to 3 minutes until every grain is coloured. Warm bulgur takes the paste far better than cold.
3 min
Step 3
Let it cool to room temperature, then work in the olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Taste it: it should be clearly sour, a little sweet, salty and warm.
15 min
Step 4
Fold in the spring onions, parsley, mint and tomato. Rest it for 30 minutes in the fridge, taste again for salt and lemon, and serve with the lettuce leaves for scooping.
30 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 282 kcal
- Protein
- 7.2 g
- Carbs
- 42.6 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.5 g
- Fibre
- 9.9 g
- Sugar
- 6.9 g
- Sodium
- 476 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Pomegranate molasses → Extra lemon juice with a teaspoon of honey
It lacks the depth but keeps the sour-sweet balance. Use sugar instead of honey to keep it vegan.
Red pepper paste → Extra tomato paste with a teaspoon of paprika
Milder and less fruity. Add more pul biber to make up the heat.
Tips
- Coarse pilaf bulgur will not work here; it stays chewy and separate. Look for fine bulgur, often labelled köftelik.
- Pepper paste brands vary a lot in salt. Add the salt last.
- Diced cucumber or a handful of chopped walnuts are both common additions in Istanbul homes.
History & culture
Kısır is gathering food. It turns up at the afternoon gün parties women host in turn, on picnic cloths, at five o'clock tea next to börek and cake, and in lunchboxes. In Gaziantep and Hatay it is redder and hotter; in Istanbul it is often lighter on paste and heavier on herbs. It costs very little and feeds a lot of people.
Bulgur is wheat that has been boiled, dried and cracked, a way of storing grain that Anatolia and Mesopotamia have used for thousands of years. Kısır belongs to the southeast and moved west with migration to the big cities in the 20th century. It is a cousin of Levantine tabbouleh, which turns the ratio around and is mostly parsley.
Traditional — Gaziantep versions use more pepper paste and less tomato; some Istanbul homes skip the pomegranate molasses and use lemon alone. This sits in the middle.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Kısır take?
1 hr 5 min all in — 20 min prep, 45 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Chef's knife, Cutting board.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Pomegranate molasses → Extra lemon juice with a teaspoon of honey. It lacks the depth but keeps the sour-sweet balance. Use sugar instead of honey to keep it vegan. Red pepper paste → Extra tomato paste with a teaspoon of paprika. Milder and less fruity. Add more pul biber to make up the heat.
Any tips from this recipe?
Coarse pilaf bulgur will not work here; it stays chewy and separate. Look for fine bulgur, often labelled köftelik. Pepper paste brands vary a lot in salt. Add the salt last. Diced cucumber or a handful of chopped walnuts are both common additions in Istanbul homes.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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