The Mediterranean Vegan

This spicy pumpkin mash is full of flavor and very easy to make. It is served in Libya with flatbread. Serves 2-3 What you need: 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin 1 red chili, chopped 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh black pepper In a pot, boil the chopped pumpkin for 10 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, sauté the garlic, cumin, salt, and chili in 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat until the garlic has slightly browned. Strain the pumpkin and add to the pan with the garlic. Mash the pumpkin with a strong wooden spoon over medium heat. Mix in the fresh pepper, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp olive oil and serve while hot.

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.

These "wrinkly potatoes" are from the Canary Islands, where they were originally cooked in sea water. They are served with both a cilantro green sauce and a spicy chili pepper sauce called mojo. Serves 2 What you need: for the potatoes 20 baby new potatoes 1/2 cup salt for the red mojo 10 cloves garlic 1/4 cup wine vinegar 3 dried red chili peppers 1 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt for the green mojo 10 cloves garlic 1/4 cup wine vinegar 1 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 1 cup fresh cilantro In a large pot, bring water and 1/2 cup salt to a boil. Add the baby potatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes. If the potatoes are not floating, add more salt to the water. Drain the potatoes, leaving about 1/4 cup of salt water in the pot. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and shake around until the salt hardens on the potatoes. Turn off the heat, cover the potatoes with a kitchen towel and let sit for 5-7 minutes. For the red and green mojo sauces, add all of the