When I read this post on the Italian food blog Un filo d’erba cipollina, I was so inspired that I had to try something similar. The problem is that here in the U.A.E. Swiss chard is not so easy to find, unless you want to spend a fortune on a tiny bunch of stuff imported from England. Since I don’t like my veggies to have a frequent flier membership, I tried to find a local replacement. My best bet was baby bok choy, which I had never cooked before, and – honestly – it didn’t disappoint.
I also substituted rice for burghul, which has almost half of its calories. Burghul is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, where it is mostly used as a stuffing or in tabboule salad, and it is made of groats of durum wheat, with a light nutty flavour. Compared to white rice, bulghur has more fiber and protein, a lower glycemic index, and higher levels of vitamins and minerals.
Burghul with salmon and bok choy (serves 2):
1 cup rough burghul
400 gr. salmon fillet
2 bunches bok choy
170 gr. plain yogurth
2 Tbsp capers
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Bring to a boil 2 1/4 cups of salted water, and add the burghul. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes (until soft), and drain. Remove the stalks from bok choy (you can use them for another recipe), and chop the leaves. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and blanch the bok choy for 3 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and shock in cold water. Let the water boil again, and then poach the salmon for 6 minutes. Drain and let cool. Meanwhile, prepare a sauce by mixing the yogurth with salt, cumin, and capers. Remove the skin and bones from the salmon and crumble the flesh in a dish. Add the burghul and pak choi, and dress with the sauce.
Buon appetito!
the soul kitchenette 