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tomato and bulgur salad
The meat-free version of Chikufta (page 126), eech is on every Western Armenain wedding table and party spread. And with good reason: If you’re feeding a vegetarian crowd—or you want more vegetarian options on the table—this make-ahead side dish is perfect for entertaining. With tomatoes taking the place of ground meat, it’s also a visually striking dish that delivers whole-grain goodness thanks to bulgur, which also gives this vegetable side dish texture. It can hold up well at room temperature in case the party lasts all day.
Serves 6
1 Tbsp sunflower oil or olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup [120 ml] water
1/4 cup [60 g] tomato paste
1 Tbsp red pepper paste (optional)
21/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp ground cumin
11/2 cups [240 g] medium-grain bulgur
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup [40 g] finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup [60 ml] lemon juice
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have a slotted spoon and a bowl of ice water handy.
Using a sharp knife, cut a small X into the bottom of each tomato and then cut out the stem end, taking care not to remove too much of the tomato. Add the tomatoes to the water and cook briefly until the skin starts to lift from the X, about 30 seconds. Lift the tomatoes out of the pot and plunge them into the ice water.
Once cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skins from the tomatoes. The skins should slide right off. If some pieces are stubborn, either cut them off or put the tomatoes back into the boiling water for a few more seconds and chill them in the ice water again. Finely dice the tomatoes, keeping their seeds and juices.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the water and the tomatoes with their juices and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer gently until the tomatoes have softened, 5 minutes.
Uncover the pan and stir in the tomato paste, pepper paste, if using, salt, and cumin.
Pour the contents of the pan into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the bulgur and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, or until the bulgur has plumped up and absorbed the water and tomato juices.
Leave a little green onion and parsley behind for garnishing the top, and mix the rest into the bulgur, along with half of the lemon juice. Using clean hands, knead and press the mixture together in the bowl until the bulgur absorbs more of the seasonings, about 3 minutes. Taste, adding more lemon juice or salt, if desired.
Spread the eech onto a large rimmed plate and garnish with the remaining green onion and parsley. Drizzle the top with oil to make the surface shine, if desired. Leftovers keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 week. Serve leftovers chilled or at room temperature.