Today’s work from home lunch wasn’t really planned. I’d made an impromptu pot of bulgar wheat a few days ago, trying to flesh out some leftovers from the night before, and I wanted to use it up. I rummaged in our fridge for likely salad candidates and this is what I came up with. I used the small cucumbers that are often used in pickling, they have less water, so if you’re using a large cucumber then maybe scrape the watery core out before grating. We’re vegetarian, but I could imagine a splash of fish sauce working well in the dressing. I think some toasted seeds or some chopped peanuts would also be an improvement, but otherwise I was pretty happy. I used what we had in the fridge, but you could definitely up the veg a bit, throw in an extra avo. Always taste the dressing before serving, maybe you like yours sweeter or saltier, or maybe you love extra acidity. I love salty and sour foods, so this combination worked for me.
Bulgar wheat, carrot, cucumber, avocado, lime dressing
250 g cooked bulgar wheat, room temp
2 small carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1/2 small cucumber, coarsely grated
1 avocado, sliced
15 g fresh coriander, chopped, including stalks
Small bunch of chives, finely chopped
Juice of 1 small lime
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 dessert spoon honey
Add the bulgar, carrot, cucumber, coriander and chives into a large salad bowl.
Make the dressing by whisking the lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil and honey together. In a separate bowl, toss the avocado in the dressing, then add into the salad bowl with the remaining ingredients. Toss everything together and serve.