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Vegan Bites:
More than Falafels & Hummus
by Hope Von Stengal, illustrated by Joseph Von Stengal; from the March 2007 newsletter
Several weeks ago, clicking my way through several vegetarian sites on the Net, I realized how often different types of Middle Eastern cuisine are staple vegan dishes. Falafel, baba ghannouj, hummus, tabouli and dolmas are commonly regarded as common vegan fare that omnivores find more than acceptable as well. With very little online research, one could find all sorts of authentic Middle Eastern recipes, so it’s no wonder that hummus and vegetarians are synonymous.
Back when I lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, there was this out-of-this-world stand called Saif’s Middle Eastern Food located in the city’s Central Market operated by a brother and sister (he did the selling, she the cooking) less than a block from my apartment. At least once a week, as the indoor market there was open on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, I’d purchase many delectable goodies: everything from vegetable samosas and falafel sandwiches to dolmas and baklava. Alas, if you want to try the best dolmas in the U.S., traveling 3,000 miles is necessary. Saif’s stand still remains, and sometimes I’m lucky enough to fit it into my schedule during visits to the East coast.
If you are hankering for pitas and tabouli, the best place I know of in the Palouse is Mikey’s Gyros. Several vegan offerings reside on the menu, which is rare for this part of the country. Their skordalia is to die for and they also have hummus, of course! It is also one of the cheapest healthy eats in this area, which has made my family repeat customers. If they would regularly keep a stout or porter on tap, we would move in.
Cooking Middle Eastern cuisine at home can range from incredibly easy to somewhat more time consuming. When looking for an extremely easy meal to make, pick up a box of tabouli or falafel mix at the Co-op. Sometimes I double the tabouli by adding more bulgar wheat, lemon and parsley to the boxed contents. It still tastes great and my family gives it rave reviews. Making hummus and baba ghannouj from scratch is a snap and the link provided below offers several versions of each. If you want to try your hand at creating homemade dolmas, be sure to spare some time and space. The results could be well worth the effort, but I usually wimp out and purchase the pre-packaged sort.
Here are a few resources for creating a Middle Eastern feast in your own home. A Vegan Taste of the Middle East by Linda Majzlik contains over 100 recipes. A fantastic online source that lists quite a few Greek and Middle Eastern vegan dishes is www.ivu.org/recipes/greek/.
Lentil Soup
Adapted from Vegetarian Dishes From Around the World by Rose Elliot
8 ounces split lentils
4 cups stock or water
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons margarine
Salt and pepper
Wash the lentils, then put them into a large saucepan with the stock or water, onion, garlic and cumin; bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked. Puree the soup until smooth, then add the margarine and seasoning to taste and reheat the soup gently. This makes a thickish soup, but you can thin it down with a little rice milk or water if you want to.
Eggplant Salad
From The Higher Taste
2 pounds small eggplants
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heaping teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the eggplants with a fork and bake in oven until very tender (about 30 minutes). When they are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Scoop the pulp out of the skin and place in a sieve to drain. When the eggplant is well drained put in a large bowl and mash with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well and chill for a few hours.
Serve on a lettuce leaf, surrounded by tomato wedges and olives.
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