Removing the seeds from a cucumber reduces the amount of watery liquid you get in the finished soup or salad in favor of the pure flesh of the cucumber. It's not always necessary (and the seeds are good for you), but it's easy to do when you want a more refined dish.
Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise. Then scoop the seeds out with the tip of a spoon. If you press down hard enough, one or two passes with the spoon should get most of the seeds.
Bulgur (also known as bulgar, bulghur, and burghul) is whole wheat that's been parboiled, dried and crushed (or cracked). The outer bran layer is then rubbed off by hand and then sometimes ground again to achieve a particular grain size. Bulgur is sometimes referred to as cracked wheat, which is not cooked during production, and takes much longer to cook.
Chewy and nutty-tasting, bulgur is high in fiber, protein, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Finely ground bulgur may be boiled and eaten as a hot cereal, while medium ground may be combined with minced meat or vegetables to make meatballs or burgers. Coarsely ground bulgur is often used as a substitute for rice in pilafs and as a main ingredient in salads like tabbouleh or kibbeh, or in casseroles, soups or stews.
