• Rinse 1 cup of bulgur or cracked wheat and place in the slow cooker, with 2 cups of water.

  Close the lid.

  Turn the slow cooker on High.

Prep your veggies by peeling and/or chopping them into bite size pieces:

• 1/2 onion

  1 tomato

  2" piece of bottle gourd or 1 zucchini with peel

  1 potato

  2 carrots

  10-12 French beans

  1 cup spinach leaves and tender stems

  5-6 sprigs of cilantro, leaves and stems

  2 cloves garlic, grated
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the garlic and onion, sauté till transparent.

  Add all the other veggies (except the spinach and cilantro) and sauté till warmed up and coated in oil.

  Add the veggies to the slow cooker or pan.
• Add the spices:

  1.5 tsp salt

  1 tsp black pepper

  1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  1 tsp Italian seasoning or Italian herbs
• Add 2 more cups of water, close the lid and walk away.

  The soup will take about 2 hours to cook thoroughly and you can turn the slow cooker setting to Low after the first hour.

  Add the spinach and cilantro to the pot about 15 minutes before serving.
• Check the salt and pepper for taste and mash the soup a bit for thickness.

  Serve with a slice of crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich.

For making on the stovetop

• Follow the same steps but cook on low heat, covered, in a pan.

  If you soak the wheat for an hour before cooking it will cook faster.

  It will take about 30-45 minutes for the wheat to be cooked through.