Syrian · salad
Bazargan (Bulgur, Tamarind and Walnut Salad)
Bazargan (Bulgur, Tamarind and Walnut Salad) reads sourness 6.2, fruity 5.9 and citrus 5.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Syrian salad, about 2 hr 39 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 3.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 7.3 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 7.9 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 3.2 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 5.4 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.2 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Sourness 6.2 · Fruity 5.9 · Citrus 5.8 · Sweetness 4.7 · Nutty 4.1 · Richness 4.1 · Salinity 3.5 · Umami 3.2 · Earthy 3.0 · Floral 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Bitterness 1.7 · Allium 1.6 · Heat 1.0
What's in it (14)
- bulgur — 250 g
- water — 300 g
- walnut halves — 100 g
- tamarind paste — 44 g
- pomegranate molasses — 44 g
- olive oil — 54 g
- tomato paste — 30 g
- cumin — 7 g
- aleppo pepper — 5 g
- ground allspice — 3 g
- salt — 5 g
- flat-leaf parsley — 40 g
- spring onions — 60 g
- lemon — 80 g
Time & effort: about 2 hr 39 min (9 min active) · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 212.5 kcal, 5.5 g protein, 10.6 g fat, 26.2 g carbs
Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (7 steps)
- Put the coarse bulgur in a bowl, pour over the boiling water, cover and leave 30 minutes until it has swollen and cooled. Coarse bulgur is essential — the fine kind used for tabbouleh turns to paste under this heavy dressing.
- Buy tamarind as a thick dark paste or a block you soak yourself, not the thin bottled concentrate sold as a drink; you want real puckering sourness.
- Whisk the tamarind paste, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste and olive oil together with the cumin, Aleppo pepper, allspice and salt until you have a dark, thick, glossy dressing.
- Work the dressing into the bulgur with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes, squeezing rather than stirring, until every grain is stained the colour of old brick.
- Fold in the walnuts, parsley and spring onions, then the lemon juice.
- Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge, so the bulgur softens fully and the sourness spreads. Taste again before serving — it usually wants more lemon and a pinch of salt once it has sat.
- Serve at room temperature in small mounds as part of a meze, with lettuce leaves for scooping.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Dip) — Lebanese
- Baba Ghanoush — Lebanese
- Carne Asada Burrito Bowl with Grilled Corn — Tex-Mex
- Undhiyu (Winter Vegetables Steamed with Green Masala and Muthia) — Indian · Gujarat
- Grilled Cuban Mojo Pork Chops — Cuban
Keep reading: what sourness, fruity, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →
Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.