Bulgur

Coarsely chopped coriander seeds add a lovely floral note to this nutty Middle Eastern grain.

Made with crisp radishes, salty olives, and feta, and dressed with minted olive oil and lemon, this salad really sings. Not technically a grain, but rather the seed of an herb, quinoa hails from South America. (It is often called a "supergrain" because it contains more protein than any grain.) Bulgur comes from the hulled, cracked berries of whole wheat, and has a nutty flavor.

This dish, combining crunchy almonds and sweet apricots, tastes great with lamb or chicken.

Heres a cool combination thats excellent with salmon. Because the bulgur is not cooked, it needs to sit overnight in the dressing to soften, so begin preparing it a day ahead.

The fine bulgur in this recipe might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets, near the rice, under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix (you won't need the seasoning packet). Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Fine bulgur might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix — just toss away the seasoning packet.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr 20 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

A growing interest in Middle Eastern food, spurred most likely by the vegetarian movement, brought tabbouleh to the attention of many Americans. It was often served as a side dish at health food restaurants.

Thanks to a generous amount of basil, mint and dill, this salad is quite refreshing. It can be taken to a picnic in a covered container that is stored in a cooler.

Prepare a batch of this breakfast dish and store it in the refrigerator. Then simply reheat single servings in the microwave.

Risotto de Bulgour aux Pois et Asperges At the restaurant, this is made with spelt, a chewy grain that requires much longer cooking than does the more readily available bulgur called for here.

"One Saturday morning I came up with this bread recipe, and now my family asks for it all the time," writes Priscilla Unger of Alberta, Canada. "My husband insists on having his first slice while the loaf is still warm from the oven, but I prefer mine toasted and topped with marmalade." The slightly sweet bread is great with butter and preserves.

A versatile alternative to couscous, this is a summer starch that doesn't have to be served warm. If you have fresh or cooked leftover vegetables in the kitchen, toss them in to make a main-course salad. You can also play with the herbs to suit the dishes this will accompany.

In this take on a classic salad, we combine bulgur with the usual tomatoes, green onions, parsley and mint, then add garbanzo beans and broiled lamb for a change of pace.

Voli are marbles, the multicolored little balls that were so popular with kids during my childhood. But unlike the glass versions, which were quite expensive, the ones we used to play with were made of clay and colored in various bright, glossy shades. They were fragile, and their glaze would crack, revealing their dark red insides, similar in color to these delicious meatballs with bulgur. This recipe comes from the island of Rhodes, and bulgur is probably the grain originally used. Later, in the stewed meatballs of the mainland, it was replaced by rice.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Packaged Near East tabbouleh mix, available at most supermarkets, is a good source of bulgur, but we don't use the accompanying seasoning pouch.