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...

This cake can be found throughout the Mediterranean. In Greece and Turkey it is called revani. Another common Arabic name for it is basbousa. The base of this cake is semolina flour; and its variants include adding coconut, walnut, almonds, or pistachios. It is soaked in a sugar syrup and often served with tea. Serves 4-6 What you need: 2 cups semolina flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup margarine 3/4 cup soy milk 1 tsp baking soda almonds, walnuts, or pistachios 2 cups sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 cup water 1/3 cup coconut flakes or chopped nuts Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Lightly grease a small cake pan. Make the sauce first so that it is cool and ready to drizzle onto the cake. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until the sugar sauce has thickened. In a mixing bowl, mix the semolina, sugar, and margarine until well incorporated. You may need to use your hands for this. Add the baking so...

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.

I tried this salad a few nights ago at the Casa Palestina here in Barcelona for a friend's birthday. It's incredibly easy to make and delicious! It is eaten in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria and was created to make use of stale pita bread by frying it and combining it with seasonal vegetables. Serves 3-4 What you need: for the fattoush 2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/2 onion, diced 1/2 red pepper, diced 2 tomatoes, diced 10 black olives, sliced 2 cups lettuce or spinach 1 tsp mint 2 tbsp parsley 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 pita breads for the hummus 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans 1.5 tbsp tahini 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 cup water 1.5 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp salt For the salad, you can choose to fry or toast the pita bread (I recommend frying). Cut or tear the pita bread into pieces and fry in olive oil for around 1-2 minutes or until crispy. Strain the pita pieces in a colander or on a paper towel to remove excess...