Bulgur bowl with sticky halloumi and spicy eggplant
Making bulgur is a piece of cake. Or rather: in this recipe, we serve the dish lukewarm in a small bowl with soft eggplant and sticky halloumi. Ideal for weekdays!
We make this recipe with Arabic seasonings that you might not use every day. But take our word for it that it is absolutely worth adding pomegranate molasses and baharat to your spice cabinet, because once you’ve cooked with them, you’ll be using them much, much more often.
What is pomegranate molasses?
Pomegranate molasses is made by boiling down pomegranate juice very slowly into a thick syrup. During this process, the juice concentrates, creating a rich, intense flavor that is slightly sweet and sour.
Some varieties may contain a touch of sugar or lemon juice, but the pure molasses is often flavorful enough on its own due to the natural sugars and acids in the pomegranate. You can buy the sticky stuff at Albert Heijn, but of course, you can also find it in just about every Arabic supermarket.
Making bulgur with sticky halloumi and spicy eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Cut the eggplants lengthwise into quarters and score the flesh crosswise.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 3 teaspoons of baharat and rub the eggplants with it.
- Slice the halloumi and brush the slices with the 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses until completely covered. Bake the halloumi and aubergine on a baking sheet in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the aubergine is soft and the halloumi is golden brown and slightly crispy.
- Meanwhile, cook the bulgur according to the instructions on the packaging.
- Season the bulgur with olive oil, the red onion, the parsley, the dill, the lime juice, and salt and pepper.
- Spoon the bulgur salad into a bowl with the halloumi and aubergine on top.
- Add a dollop of full-fat yogurt to the bulgur bowl and serve.
