Antakya Usulü Kısır
Antakya Usulü Kısır·(ahn-TAHK-yah oo-soo-loo kuh-SUHR)
Kahve ve Çay Saati (The Afternoon Ritual)
It is a Tuesday afternoon in Ohio, but the kitchen smells of sun-dried pepper paste and sharp pomegranate molasses—the uncompromising aromas of a southern Turkish courtyard. Real Antakya kısır, known locally as sarmaiçi, isn't the fluffy, watered-down grain bowl so often passed off as authentic. It is an intensely savory, almost sticky masterpiece built entirely on the friction of human hands working heavy pastes directly into raw bulgur. We use lukewarm water here to cut the traditional kneading time in half for a busy weeknight, but the tactile soul of the dish remains unchanged. Serve it piled high, and use crisp lettuce leaves to eat it with your hands.
Before you start
Wash and thoroughly dry all fresh herbs before chopping.
Excess water on the greens will dilute the olive oil dressing and turn the dense, sticky bulgur into a wet, unappetizing mess.
Ingredients
- fine brown bulgur2 cup
- water1 1/4 cup
- Turkish pepper paste3 tbsp
- tomato paste1 1/2 tbsp
- garlic2 small
- ground cumin1 1/2 tsp
- Aleppo pepper1 tsp
- salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- pomegranate molasses1/3 cup
- extra virgin olive oil1/2 cup
- flat-leaf parsley1 large
- fresh mint1/2 large
- scallion6 med
- Romaine lettuce heart1 med
Method
- 01
Combine the foundation in a wide tray or bowl.
Place the bulgur, pepper paste, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper into a very wide, shallow mixing bowl or a rimmed baking sheet.
- 02
Hydrate and forcefully knead the grains.
Dip your hands into the lukewarm water and start aggressively rubbing the pastes into the dry grains, pressing down with the heel of your palm to force the flavors into the wheat.
- 03
Test the texture after eight minutes of kneading.
Continue working the mixture, splashing in a bit more water as needed, until the bulgur yields to your teeth without any hard, sandy crunch.
- 04
Incorporate the pomegranate molasses and olive oil.
Pour in the pomegranate molasses and knead for another minute, followed by the olive oil, working it until the mixture absorbs the fat and takes on a luxurious, glossy sheen.
- 05
Gently fold in the chopped herbs.
Scatter the parsley, mint, and scallions over the top, then use your hands to lightly toss and fold them in—do not crush or knead the herbs, or they will release bitter chlorophyll and turn the salad murky.
- 06
Mound onto a platter and serve with crisp lettuce.
Serve the salad alongside crisp romaine leaves for scooping, or store in the fridge where the flavors will continue to meld and deepen over the next four days.
Notes
The stand mixer hack.
If you don't have the time or energy to hand-knead on a Tuesday, throw the base ingredients into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Run it on medium-low, trickling in the water, and you'll achieve the exact same authentic cellular breakdown hands-free in about eight minutes.
Mind the molasses.
Check the label on your pomegranate molasses closely. True nar ekşisi contains only 100 percent pomegranate juice and perhaps a little salt; avoid anything labeled 'pomegranate sauce' that lists glucose syrup or citric acid.
From Cook Turkish in America.