Mango bulghar salad with mango vinaigrette

Discover the delightful combination of bulghar wheat and juicy mango, perfectly dressed with a tangy mango vinaigrette. A burst of flavors in every bite!

Ingredients:

• 1 Eggplant
• 1 medium onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 star anise
• 1 inch cinnamon bark
• 1 fresh chilli (if left whole it's less hot so up to you)
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 medium firm mangoes
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped coriander and parsley - half of each
• 2 inches fresh ginger
• 2 cups Bulghar
• 3 cups water to cook bulgur (OR as per the cooking instructions of your brand)
• 1 lime - juice
• salt
• For Mango Vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup fresh mango juice
• all marinade from mangoes
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 extra lime - juice - if needed
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 English cucumber diced (part of salad)
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (part of salad)
• Coriander leaves for decoration

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C. Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Rinse and pat dry an eggplant, keeping the skin on. Cut it into uniform cubes. Transfer the cubes to the tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes until they turn golden brown. Once done, set them aside.
3. Peel and finely chop fresh ginger, onion, and garlic.
4. Peel the firm mangoes, then dice them into uniform pieces. Mix in the juice of 1 lime and half of the chopped ginger. Let the mixture marinate on the kitchen counter.
5. Squeeze the mango pits to extract any remaining juice, setting aside about 1/4 cup for the vinaigrette. If you don't have enough, keep some mango aside to supplement the vinaigrette.
6. Wash and dry the red pepper, remove the seeds and membranes, and finely chop it.
7. In a large pot, heat vegetable oil. Add coriander seeds, cloves, turmeric, mustard seeds, cinnamon, star anise, the rest of the ginger, and chili. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the chopped red pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
8. Add bulgur to the pot, stirring to coat the grains with the oil and spices. Pour in the required amount of water (according to the package instructions), season with salt, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes (or follow the package instructions).
9. Allow the bulgur to cool down, then fluff it up with a fork. Mix in the marinated mango, roasted eggplant, chopped cilantro and parsley, diced cucumber, and chickpeas. Gently combine all the ingredients. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
10. Drizzle the dish with the mango vinaigrette and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
11. Mango Vinaigrette
12. In a food processor, combine the mango marinade (including ginger), 1/4 cup of mango juice extracted from the pits, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, mustard, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more lime juice and/or vegetable oil if needed.
13. Serving suggestions: Grilled Spicy Shrimp or Chicken

Summary:

• Calories: 5069 kcal
• Fat: 193 g
• Protein: 126 g
• Carbs: 798 g
• Potassium: 8003 mg
• Magnesium: 1652 mg