Tried some in biscuits one time. Betty Crocker Page 83 (about). Didn't work for didly.

Maybe a good sub for (ugh) grits?

This post was edited by mxyplx on Fri, Jul 4, 14 at 11:23

When I was a child there was a product called ALA (I guess that is also the generic ethnic name for bulgur, but it was the brand name of this product), which was a boxed bulgur pilaf mix for a side dish and was a favorite of mine. I haven't seen it for years, but to replicate how my mom made it, I saute some onion and maybe garlic in a little oil, add the bulgur and saute for a minute to soften, or even toast a bit, then add some beef broth or bouillon and let it simmer to absorb the moisture. I cook it so it still has a bit of chew, like I do for tabbouleh. Serve like rice.

THREE-GRAIN PILAF
(source: Kansas Wheat Commission - www.kswheat.com)

1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. dry bulgur
1/2 c. dry white long-grain rice*
1/2 c. dry pearled barley
2 cubes or 2 t. bouillon granules
4 c. hot water
1/2 c. coarsely grated carrots
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

Add oil to wok or skillet and heat on medium-high. Add grains and sauté 7-miutes, stirring occasionally.

Dissolve bouillon in hot water and stir into grains; add vegetables. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed and grains are tender.

Remove fro heat, let stand 5-minutes and fluff with fork. Garnish with almonds. Makes 7-cups

Variations:
-Season with black pepper or herbs.
-Add other vegetables such as chopped green pepper, red pepper, celery, peas or broccoli.

NOTE- * Do not substitute the rice with minute or brown rice.

MEXICAN BULGUR (Kansas Wheat Commission) 2 T. butter 1 c. dry bulgur 1 medium onion, chopped 1 c. thinly sliced celery 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 3/4 t. ground cumin 1 t. chili powder 2\-1/4 c. beef broth or water salt and pepper to taste Melt butter in skillet on medium heat. Add bulgur and chopped onion; cook until onion is clear and bulgur is golden. Stir in celery, diced pepper, cunin and chili powder; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in beef broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

BULGUR WHEAT LOAF
(source: Pillsbury)

3/4 c. water
1/2 c. bulgur wheat
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 c. Pillsbury's BEST All-Purpose OR Unbleached Flour
2 T. brown sugar
1 to 1-1/2 t. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 c. water heated to 120-130-degrees F.
1/4 c. oil
1 c. Pillsbury's Best Whole Wheat Flour
2 t. water
1 egg white
1 t. bulgur wheat

Grease cookie sheet. Bring 3/4 c. water to a boil in small saucepan. remove from heat; stir in 1/2 c. bulgur. Let stand 20-25 minutes or until water is absorbed. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, yeast, 1 cup hot water and oil; beat at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in bulgur mixture, whole wheat flour and additional 1 c. all-purpose flour to form a stiff dough.

On floured surface, knead in 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour until dough is elastic, about 5-minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and clean towel. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 45-minutes.

Punch down dough. Shape into round loaf [Grainlady note: make the loaf tall, not flat]. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place until light and almost doubled in size, about 30-minutes.

Heat oven to 375-degrees F. Uncover dough. With very sharp knife, cut a 1/2-inch deep slash across top of loaf. Cut another at a right angle, making a cross. In small bowl, beat 2 teaspoons water and egg white until blended. Brush over top of loaf; sprinkle with 1 t. bulgur, if desired. Bake at 375-degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack.

You'll find more recipes at King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill, as well at the Kansas Wheat Commission. \-Grainlady

YUM!
Thank you again, GL and Olychick. I will definitely try the pilafs. This is exactly what I was hoping for--side, salad, and main dishes using bulgur.

Following Grainlady's suggestion I checked King Arthur andI found the following bread recipe. My breakfast is often coffee and a couple slices of toast, and this sounds promising.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kansas Sunflower Bread

I use a lot of bulgur and although we have a large Lebanese and Syrian population with accompanying small markets, I buy bulgur at the Mennonite bulk food store.

This is my favorite recipe using it.

STUFFED KIBBEH

For the shells:
8 ounces bulgur (cracked wheat)
1 pound ground lamb
1 onion, coarsely chopped
salt & pepper

For the stuffing:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Tbs. Pine nuts
1 pound ground lamb
salt and pepper

Oil for deep frying

To make the shells, soak the cracked wheat for about 20 minutes in hot water to cover by at least one inch; then drain and squeeze dry. Mix the meat, onion, salt and pepper for the shells until creamy. (An electric mixer can be used.) Then add the cracked wheat in batches and continue until the mixture is soft enough to work like a dough. Knead well by hand.

For the stuffing, fry the onion in oil until soft; then add the pine nuts and fry until golden. Add the meat, salt and pepper and stir until the meat changes color.

Wet your hands. Take a small egg-sized portion of the shell mixture and roll it into a ball. Make a hole in the center with your finger and shape into a thin-walled pot with a pointed bottom by turning and pressing it into your palm. Place some stuffing in the hole and pinch the top of the pot together to completely seal it inside. Shape the top into a point. Repeat with the rest of the mixtures, wetting your hands frequently.

Heat the oil. Deep-fry 4 or 5 kibbeh at a time until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Serve hot. Makes 15 to 20 depending on what size you make the balls.

Except for stirring in a sprinkle of ground cumin and cinnamon to the stuffing when it's completed, I follow the recipe exactly but instead of deep frying, I cook them outdoors on the grill, turning frequently.

Some of it depends on how poor you are. :) If you have a thin soup with only little bits in it and are looking for something more substantial, throw enough bulgar in it to soak up all the broth and you have a yummy main dish.

For traditional tabbouleh, though I think you said you had a good recipe, it's mostly dependent on how tired you are of chopping parsley. I use about half and half parsley to bulgur. Do use a very sharp knife. The food processor will over-bruise it. Also, try to use only the very stiff parsley that keeps its form when chopped. That gives you the correct mouthfeel of the crisp parsley against the soft bulgur. Put both in a large shallow mixing bowl (good for mixing with your hands), and squeeze lemon all over it, minding the seeds. I know you know that last part, but trying to fish an errant seed out of a big bowl of tabbouleh isn't fun (ask how I know!). Season to taste, though I have to admit I never do. I think S&P muddies the flavor. I do use garlic, but prefer to roast it first, which is kind of heretical. Some people use mint. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with chopped tomatoes if you like, and any other salad vegetables that take your fancy. Or toasted pine nuts. :) Or eat it plain.

The Bob's bulgur should be fine. I prefer the "real" kind, but the difference is subtle and it'll be fine. It's probably also a prettier color. :) The stuff from the Mid-East looks a bit like wet concrete. :)

My favorite way doesn't have a name that I'm aware of other than Sesame Bulgur. It can be eaten hot or cold. Toast the bulgur, then cook it with lemon water, saute chopped small scallions or spring onions and peppers, and add a big handful of sesame seeds at the very end. You can toast the seeds separately if they're moist, but it's not pleasant if they're too crunchy. If you're serving hot combine in the pot and heat through, otherwise in your salad bowl after both have cooled. Season to taste, and drizzle with tasty oil if you like. Some people like a splash of balsamic vinegar too. A good variation is chopped figs instead of the onions.

I use a small amount of Bulgar in my falafel recipe, but it may help:

Falafel from Fava Beans

1 cup dried peeled fava beans*
1/4 cup medium Bulgar
1 yellow or white onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander**
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
garbanzo flour, as needed
Oil for deep frying
Pita bread

To prepare the fava beans, first wash them thoroughly, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for about two minutes, and then rinse them and wash them again. Return them to the pan, cover with water and bring to a boil again. After the second boil, allow them to sit for at least an hour off the heat to soak. Then drain all the water. If preferred, soak them overnight. Soak the Bulgar wheat for an hour while the beans are soaking in a separate bowl, and then drain.

Put the drained beans in a large food processor, and puree. Add the drained Bulgar, onion, garlic, and fresh parsley to the food processor and process until the onion is minced (or you could mince these by hand). Remove to a large bowl and add the salt, cumin, coriander, baking powder, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Allow this mixture to stand for 1 hour. If the dough is too dry, you can add a few drops of water; if it is too wet, you can some garbanzo flour or dried couscous.

Form into balls the size of walnuts. Deep-fry in a wok or deep fryer at 350-375° until toasty brown and crunchy on the outside, about 4 minutes. (I use a timer) Drain on paper towels when done and store in a 200F oven if making a large batch.
NOTE: While the falafel batter is resting, prepare tahini-lemon sauce and slice a couple of cucumbers and tomatoes.

Tahini-Lemon Sauce

2/3 cup tahini
2/3 cup yogurt
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
3 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup parsley, stems removed
dash of salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (or less, to taste)
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin

Put all ingredients in a small food processor and combine until onions and parsley are finely minced. Store in the refrigerator.

Serve falafel with Romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, pita bread, and the tahini-lemon sauce..

*Note: Make sure that you buy peeled fava beans, as peeling is rather time consuming - " Goya is a good brand. Garbanzo beans can be substituted for fava beans, but they may have to soak longer. Do NOT use canned or cooked beans, as they will have too much liquid.

**For better flavor, use coriander seeds and grind them yourself in a coffee mill. One tablespoon of coriander seeds will yield 2 teaspoons ground.

Serves four to six.

Lars

Plllog and Grainlady,
I am confused about the definition of bulgur.
Here is the Wikipedia definition: Bulgur for human consumption is usually sold parboiled and dried, with only a very small amount of the bran partially removed.. . . In the United States, bulgur is produced from white wheat in four distinct grinds or sizes (#1 Fine, #2 Medium, #3 Coarse and #4 Extra Coarse). The highest quality bulgur has particle sizes that are uniform thus allowing a more consistent cooking time and result.

The Bob's Red Mill is made from red wheat (which I thought I would prefer, for some reason) at #2 grind. When I ordered it, I didn't notice that it came ground at all. I thought it would be whole grains that had been parboiled and cracked. (I told you I know nothing about bulgur.)

My questions: is bulgur best defined as red or white wheat (only one or the other or both?), parboiled, and dried? Just occurred to me--Does the time of year affect whether red or white wheat is available?
Is it always either cracked or ground to the uniform size desired? Or both cracked and then ground?
Which, if any, is the more traditional grind size? I will definitely want to at least try the coarsest I can find.

Don't think I want to try to make my own, although as always Grainlady tempts me to try.

Plllog,
For the tabbouleh I made, I used very fresh and hydrated flat parsley. Curley leaves might have more texture, though I prefer the taste of the flat leaves. Cutting it by hand really didn't take long. Just remove large stems, wrap it into lose wads and slice with a sharp 8 or 10 inch chef's knife, then cross slice a bit as needed for uniformity.

Lars,
The falafel sounds wonderful. I do always grind my own coriander. It is the spice that started me using a designated grinder for spices. This is a definite recipe to try.

mxyplx,
I have a cookbook with a cover a lot like yours! And I promise NOT to try the biscuits!

And finally, I love all the recipes. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

This post was edited by Bellsmom on Fri, Jul 4, 14 at 15:32

You can also substitute soaked bulghur for rice when making stuffed peppers or cabbage leaves. I also like to use half watercress for the parsley in tabouli salad for a zingier flavor.

When I don't feel like cooking on a hot summer night, this is a nice main dish salad.

BEEF -BULGUR SALAD (6 servings)

1 1/2 cups bulgur
3 cups boiling water
1 sweet onion, peeled
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
1 Tbs. grated horseradish

Dressing:

2 Tbs. Sesame oil
1 Tbs. Rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Lemon juice
1/4 tsp.pepper
Pinch dry mustard

12 thin slices cold cooked London broil

Soak bugler in boiling water for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Chill in the refrigerator.

Slice half the onion into thin rings and set them aside. Chop rest of onion and add it to the cold bulghur, along with the parsley and horseradish.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Fold the dressing into the bulghur salad. Arrange salad on individual plates and top each serving with two steak slice. Garnish with the onion rings.

I am no expert on the science of bulgur production but what you ordered should be ideal for making tabouli, which was your original intent. Don't get confused by cracked wheat, which is not par cooked and requires overnight soaking.

Picture corn instead of wheat. Does it matter if the grits are made from white or yellow varieties of corn? You might use different products for making a dried corn casserole, polenta, or grits for breakfast.

Enjoy your bulgur. The timing is just right for this year's tomato crop.

I just love, love tabouli so I almost always have some bulgur on hand to use up. I've used it in pilaf and mixed with rice for stuffed cabbage and in breads. Two ways I've used it that I haven't seen mentioned are as a breakfast cereal (faster than cracked wheat and great with raisins, I love the flavor and chew!), and in chili. You could also add it to other cold grain salads. I make a kale salad with raisins and feta and quinoa that I'll bet would be good with bulgur. I've linked to the salad recipe below, it's from Smitten Kitchen. It's one of the only ways I can tolerate quinoa. I'm trying to cut down on wheat so I'm not eating a lot of bulgur these days, even though I love it. I try to limit myself to one wheat serving per day.

Note: I can't get good ricotta salata so I sub goat cheese or feta cheese. Both are good in this.

Note: if you don't have fresh parsley you can make a tabouli-ish salad using other greens, like Ruthanna mentioned, and then flavor with dried parsley. I may try kale one of these days!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kale and quinoa salad (could use bulgur)

Bellsmom,

The Wikipedia definition is correct for the traditional stuff. Minimally processed, boiled and dried. Then there are the American interpretations which include the grinding and different sizes. I'm totally unfamiliar with those. I couldn't tell you if the traditional stuff I'm used to is cracked. If it said on the package, it was a word I didn't know. :) It's about the same size as the wheat we'd cook and eat like rice, which is about half the size of the wheat berries I've been buying to make flour. I don't know if durum berries look the same. If they do, then probably both the wheat and the bulgar were cracked. :) When I go to the local Lebanese restaurant they have the same kind of wheat in the tabbouleh. It's different from the bread wheat, the name of which Grainlady told me, probably more than once, but I forget. I read that the Jezreel Valley wheat was a kind of durum. When cooked, it and the bulgur are different shades of the same gray brown.

Re the parsley, I was trying to give you a generic, recognizable base of expectation. Use whatever parsley you like, as long as it's not soft, however much you want, and feel free to add in any other kinds of salad. Just be careful about nomenclature. If you have broccolini, call it "tabbouleh with broccolini" rather than just "tabbouleh". Then no one will think it's weird. :)

I, too, grew up with ALA brand bulgur. It was a staple in our Greek household. My family never made tabbouleh, but cooked bulgur was a favorite side dish. When I went off to college, one of my favorite meals was a big bowl of bulgur pilafi, cooked in chicken broth. It's still a favorite.

I haven't been able to get ALA brand for years & years, so now I use Bob's Red Mill. Here are my two favorite recipes -- one is a pilafi recipe and the other comes from a forum member (cracked wheat bread). I've used the bread recipe for dinner rolls and sandwich buns in addition to traditional loaves and boules. I usually divide the flour amount equally between white whole wheat and bread flour. I've also made the bread recipe Grainlady posted. It's really good too.

Pilafi
(Bulgur Wheat Pilaf )

This is just the basics. I often saute some green onions, shallots, or regular onions -- with or without 1-2 cloves of minced garlic. Mushrooms are good too. I like to really toast the grains.

1 cup bulgur wheat
2 tablespoons butter
2-2¼ cups chicken broth or water
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, over a medium high heat. Sauté the bulgur until golden, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, about 20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

Honey Cracked Wheat Bread
Country Sunshine from KT

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/2 cup cracked wheat
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in cracked wheat and simmer for 10 minutes; let cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Pour the cracked wheat mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the butter, salt, molasses, honey, milk, yeast mixture, whole wheat flour and 2 cups of the bread flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on top and bottom. Cool on racks.

BERBER CHICKEN AND TOMATO SALAD
(source: "The Grains Cookbook" by Bert Greene)

A recipe from Morocco.

1 c. bulgur
1 c. chopped, seeded, peeled tomatoes (about 2 medium)
2 c. boneless skinless cooked chicken pieces
3 T. chopped fresh basil
1 t. chopped fresh mint
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Cook the bulgur in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled bulgur, tomatoes, chicken, basil, mint, and garlic. Lightly toss, then add the oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4-6.

BULGUR\-STUFFED TOMATOES (source: "The Grains Cookbook" by Bert Greene) 4 ripe medium tomatoes 1/4 c. strong homemade chicken stock 2 T. olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 lg. clove garlic, minced 1 t. sugar 1/2 c. bulgur 1 t. chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 t. dried 1/2 t. chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 t. dried 1/2 t. salt 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper 1/8 t. hot pepper sauce 2 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1\. Slice the top off the tomatoes and scoop out the interiors with a spoon, leaving about 1/4\-inch thick walls. Turn the scooped\-out tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain. Place the tomato pulp and seeds in the container of a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. You should have about 1\-1/4 cups liquid. Add enough chicken stock to make 1\-1/2 cups total liquid. 2\. Heat the oil in a medium\-size saucepan over medium\-low heat. Add the onion; cook 1 minute. Add the garlic; cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato mixture and add the sugar, bulgur, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Heat to boiling. Then reduce the heat and cook, covered, over low heat until the bulgur is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, 20\-25 minutes. (Remove the cover and continue to cook if the mixture seems too wet.) Turn off the heat and let the pan stand, covered, for 10 minutes. 3\. Stuff the bulgur mixture into the tomato shells, mounding it high. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place under a preheated broiler and cook until the tops are golden and the tomatoes are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serves 4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BULGUR SLAW (source: "The New Book of Whole Grains" by Marlene Anne Bumgarner) 1 small head of cabbage 1 small green bell pepper 1 small onion 1 carrot 1/2 c. bulgur (or cracked wheat, soaked overnight 1 c. sour cream or yogurt 1 t. onion, finely minced 1 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper 1/2 t. caraway or celery seed Shred cabbage, finely chop pepper, onion, and carrot. Rinse, drain, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Meanwhile, stir together sour cream, minced onion, and stir in dressing. The toasted taste of bulgur is best for this recipe, but cracked wheat or triticale may be substituted with satisfactory results. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VEGETABLE PILAF (source: "The New Book of Whole Grains" by Marlene Anne Bumgarner) 1 T. vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced 1 c. bulgur or cracked wheat 1/4 c. pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame seeds 1 T. fresh parsley or 1 t. dried 1 t. salt 2 c. vegetable or meat stock Saute onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms in oil until tender. Add bulgur and seeds, stirring until grain is slightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley and salt and add stock, stirring until combined. Cover and simmer over low heat until all moisture is absorbed, about 15 minutes. \-Grainlady

Plllog
I love the sesame bulgur recipe. Thank you.

Ruthana
I have The Smitten Kitchen cookbook, but I think she says this version is slightly altered. Thank you. I'll print it out, slip it in the cookbook, and use it soon. I LIKE kale!

Shambo
Thank you for the recipes. I will try both of them. And smile when I think of your growing up eating this bulgur stuff that I am just finally investigating.

Grainlady
You are so unbelievably generous with your information and time. Thank you again and again. All of these are leading where I wanted to go -- where I have never gone before.

May I ask a favor? Can you recommend a whole grain cookbook? There are dozens on Amazon. I checked for the two cookbooks you cite here. Each can be had used for about $4.
What would you recommend for a total newbie to this whole grain cooking game?

Sandra

Thanks for sharing all these recipes gals! Yummy!

Ruthanna, I had Kibbeh for the first time many, many years ago. I loved it, probably because of the bulgur and the lamb. It was a casserole, though. Sort of like a tamale pie -- the filling was surrounded by a top & bottom crust. I remember I had two servings just because I liked it so much.

What other seasonings are used? You mentioned cumin. Is there anything else commonly added? The reason I ask is because I follow my husband's low sodium diet restrictions when cooking, so I couldn't depend on just salt for the flavoring.

Also, I've discovered a huge international market that I visit every 3-4 months. It sells imported fine-ground bulgur. Would that work better for the "crust" portion?

Bellsmom-

Check out some books from the library (cost effective). And be sure to check vegan and vegetarian cookbooks, as well. If you find something you really like, add it to your collection, or copy out the recipes or information you need.

I have a really large selection of books on grains (seeds and beans) because I have an abundance of them (hundreds of pounds) and a large variety of them in home food storage to use. I also teach classes about using whole grains and milling at home.

If I had to mention ONLY one, it would be "The Splendid Grain" by Rebecca Wood. I was just recently thinking I needed a new copy because mine has been used so much it's become shabby with use.

Others (in no particular order):

-Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck

-All-American Waves of Grain - How to buy, store, and cook every imaginable grain - Barbara Grunes and Virginia Van Vynckt

-The Whole Grain Cookbook - A.D. Ligingston

-Whole Grains Every Day Every Way - Lorna Sass

-Grainlady

Thank you again, Grainlady, for the book titles.
Our library has a grand total of NONE of these. Nothing shows up when I do a subject or topic word search for whole grains/whole grain, either. I'll be down there in a week or so and check out the shelves instead of the catalog.
I found several of those you recommend on Amazon used for pennies plus shipping. I ordered the Rebecca Wood one. It should be here in a week or so.
I am also considering Bob's Red Mill Cookbook (also available used) because of its organization into morning food, salads, snacks, main dishes, and sweets. It might help me organize my understanding of what can be made with what grains. And of course Bob's Red Mill products are featured in the book and widely available locally.

I am loving all of the suggestions and information GWers have shared. I made tabbouleh with Bob's Red Mill bulgur yesterday, using the Cook's Illustrated recipe below. It was OK, but I will try another recipe next time.

Tonight we will have slices of wonderful country ham from Benton's in Madison, TN. As a side I'm going to put together a bulgur pilaf, playing with the recipes from Shambo, Grainlady, and Plllog. I was tempted by the stuffed tomatoes, but I'll keep that for another day.

Here is a link that might be useful: cook's illustrated tabbouleh recipe

Shambo, a lot of the kibbeh made for home use is eaten raw, like steak tartare. The lamb is mixed and pounded, with additions of ice water, salt, and bulgur, until it's more of a pasty texture.

To make the variety of kibbeh you had, you can use the recipe for Stuffed Kibbeh I posted above and spread half of the lamb-bulgur mixture for the shells in a greased 6 X 9" pan. Cover with the filling mixture. Then pack in the other half of the shell mixture. Score into diamond shapes and brush with melted butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.

I don't know what to tell you on the spicing because even though I add a small amount of cumin and cinnamon to the filling, salt and pepper are the only traditional spicing added to it that I'm aware of. If the international market sells jars of red pepper paste (same texture as tomato paste and available made with mild or hot red peppers), adding a spoonful of that and some grated instead of chopped onion might help with the absence of salt in the top and bottom layer mixture.

The mild pepper paste is also used in another bulgur salad called smeed - soaked bulgur, chopped mint and parsley, red pepper and tomato pastes, and olive oil.

The bulgur I use would probably be called a medium texture and it works OK for the kibbeh, tabouli or lentil and bulgur pilafs.

I found this thread useful for ways to use up some of the Bulgar wheat that I bought. I had forgotten about these recipes and should have saved some of them.