The Mediterranean Vegan

This casserole dish originates from Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine and is similar to a shepard's pie. Its name translates to "tray of potatoes." This dish traditionally contains meat, which I substituted here for lentils. Enjoy. Serves 4-6 What you need: 1 cup breadcrumbs 2 tbsp parsley 2 tbsp margarine or olive oil for the potato layer 3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cups plain soy milk 3 tbsp margarine or olive oil 1 tsp salt for the rice layer 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 1.5 cups dry lentils 1.5 cups dry white rice 6 cups vegetable broth 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1.5 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 cup pine nuts Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Lightly grease a large casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of bread crumbs at the bottom of the casserole dish. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil for 20 minutes on medium heat and drain with a colander. While the potatoes are boiling, start making the rice. Place the pine nuts in the ove...

Mujaddara is a popular dish throughout Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. It can be made with groats, wheat or rice and its two variants include yellow mujaddara (red lentils) or brown mujaddara (green lentils). Serves 4 What you need: 1 cup lentils, uncooked 6 cups water 1 1/2 cups white rice 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp five spice powder 6 tbsp vegetable oil 2 yellow onions, chopped fresh parsley In a deep pan, add the lentils and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for around 20 minutes and then add the rice and the spices. Simmer for another 20 minutes. You may need to add more water depending on how fast it evaporates. Taste the rice while cooking and add more water if necessary. In a separate pan, fry the onions in the vegetable oil until the onion becomes brown. Serve the mujaddara and garnish with the fried onions and a pinch of fresh parsley.

Kushari is one of the most popular dishes in Egypt and happens to be vegan! Enjoy. Serves 2-3 What you need: 1 cup white rice, cooked 1 cup pasta (any kind), cooked 1 cup lentils, cooked or canned 1/2 cup chickpeas/garbanzo beans (optional) 2 cups tomato sauce (with or without vegetables) 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 onion, diced 1 tbsp margarine salt pepper Make the rice, pasta, and lentils according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, make the simple tomato sauce . Add the red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce while cooking. Add diced onion and margarine to a small pan and fry until caramelized (around 25-20 minutes). Mix the rice, pasta, and lentils together. Top with the tomato sauce and caramelized onions. Add salt and pepper to your liking. You're done!