Chili meets kibbeh in these flavor-packed, fiber-filled cakes. A popular Middle Eastern grain, bulgur is used to make dishes like pilaf and tabbouleh. It has a nutty flavor and gets parboiled, dried and either cracked or left whole.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole-kernel bulgur wheat
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Large pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- Kosher salt
- One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Cooking spray
- 1 small romaine heart, finely shredded
Instructions
- Combine the bulgur with 1 1/2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain off the excess water and cool the bulgur completely.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and cayenne and whisk until the oil is yellow and the spices are fragrant, about 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and let the chili oil cool to room temperature.
- Whisk together the sour cream, lime zest and juice, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Position an oven rack at the top of the oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Combine the beans, cooked bulgur, cheese, breadcrumbs, 1 scallion, chili oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Use a potato masher to mash and combine the mixture until it holds together when squeezed. Form into 8 uniform cakes about 3/4-inch thick.
- Arrange the cakes on the prepared baking sheet and generously coat each with cooking spray. Broil until a golden-brown crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and use a metal spatula to flip each cake. Coat the tops of the cakes with cooking spray and continue to broil until the tops are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Spread the romaine on a platter, transfer the chili cakes to the platter, drizzle with the sour cream mixture and sprinkle with cheese and the remaining scallion.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 270 calorie |
| Total Fat | 12 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 4 grams |
| Cholesterol | 15 milligrams |
| Sodium | 370 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 32 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 grams |
| Protein | 10 grams |
| Sugar | 3 grams |
Reviews
So flavorful!! Very very good. I would add all the ingredients for the chili oil in your pan before you turn on the heat to mix. I added the oil first, waited for it to get hot then mixed and it burnt then had to make it again.
This was amazing, I can’t wait to make it again! They held together nicely and tasted amazing, I topped them with the lime cream, extra cheese, tomatoes and cilantro – great on buns but also delicious in lettuce wraps
This was a hit. I skipped the scallions. And I used about half the chili powder because I don’t like things too hot, but I’ll probably use more next time. It was really tasty, and the lime-sour cream mix was a nice addition.