VEGAN RECIPES FROM EGYPT
By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
Over the years, many of my culinary students have said, "Egypt is a beautiful country; you need to come visit my family in Egypt." So, I did! The majority of my time was spent in Aswan and Cairo... And a lot of that time was spent at the "center of the home," which is, of course, the kitchen!
The families I visited were a mixture of vegetarians and omnivores, but vegetarian options were always present. Some of the older relatives explained that animal products were often expensive or in short supply, so they had adapted many recipes to be meatless. Many of the younger relatives said they were into health and therefore tended to limit their animal product intake. Several mentioned that there were many fasting days in the Muslim and Coptic Christian calendar, with "fasting" often meaning "abstaining from meat." When enjoyable non-meat alternatives to traditional dishes were developed, there were many times when the vegetarian or vegan recipes remained on the menu.
Cairo
In Cairo, I learned to love kasheri, a satisfying combination of rice, pasta, and lentils topped with caramelized onions and tomato sauce. Kasheri must be a national dish, as it seemed there was a kasheri joint on every corner. The menu is simple... Would you like a small or large bowl? Table condiments varied, but always included some form of hot sauce and a lemon-and-oil combination.
The basis for kasheri (or at least the general consensus) is two parts rice, one part lentils, and one-half part either broken pasta, such as broken spaghetti, or a combination of one thin pasta and one round pasta, such as broken spaghetti and salad (ditalini) macaroni. This base is topped with caramelized onions and a tomato sauce. The sauce was often a canned tomato sauce, seasoned with either minced fresh onions and garlic sautéed together or onion and garlic powder. The onions ranged from carefully slow-cooked and beautifully browned onion combinations (such as red, sweet, and shallots) to quickly browned white onions to even canned fried onions. In one version, hummus (whole, cooked garbanzo beans, not the puréed version) was mixed with the lentils and used as a topping.
Some people cooked each kasheri ingredient slowly and then combined all the ingredients to heat together. Others waited until they had leftovers of all required ingredients and then combined them to make their kasheri. For "kasheri in a hurry," all the dry ingredients were combined and cooked together in a rice cooker, topped with canned tomato sauce and canned fried onions. A student version used ramen noodles rather than macaroni. As kasheri is not a light and fluffy item, the rice cooker version was successful. Indeed, this is a versatile dish!
Aswan
In Aswan, it was banana season. Everyone who had some space had a least a few banana plants. Roadside vendors hung huge hands of bananas on poles, and customers requested the number they wanted cut from the bunch. My Aswan hosts made the most of the fresh bananas, including a type of banana milk — bananas mashed into a purée, simmered with water and rice, and then put through a food mill or sieve. The banana milk was cooled and either served as a refreshing beverage or used as a cooking liquid. One morning, we had vermicelli simmered in banana milk, with more fresh bananas sliced on top.
Fresh okra, stewed with tomatoes and onions, was available at most meals, including breakfast. It was often paired with fresh aish baladi (flatbread) or mahlab. Mahlab is a puff of bread, reminiscent of South Asian puri, made with flour, water, and yeast. Mahlab can be prepared plain, topped with nigella (black seeds), or stuffed with mashed beans or cheeses.
One of my host families served foul (fava beans, stewed with tomatoes, parsley, and other ingredients to taste) and falafel for breakfast every day. On a cold day, the beverage was mint tea or strong, French-pressed coffee. On hot days, Egyptian lemonade, made with fresh lemon juice and mint, was served everywhere to everyone.
Za'atar seasoning was used in cooking many dishes and was usually available on the table. Za'atar is popular throughout the Middle East, with versions differing among regions and families. Za'atar is often a blend of sumac, thyme, oregano, possibly marjoram, toasted seeds, salt, and black pepper. I was told that sesame seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, or a combination are used, depending on availability, cost, and preference.
The following are recipes shared by and created with my host families. Enjoy!
Kasheri with Brown Rice
(Serves 5)
Kasheri is dense, so it is not necessary to go for "light and fluffy" rice or pasta. Double this recipe and store in the refrigerator for an anytime snack.
1 cup uncooked brown rice or 2-1/2 cups cooked rice
Water to cook rice if not precooked
1 cup uncooked lentils or 2 cups cooked, drained lentils
6-1/2 cups boiling water, divided
1/4 cup minced onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup uncooked elbow or salad (ditalini) macaroni or 2-1/2 cups cooked macaroni
Cook brown rice in a rice cooker or on the stove until tender. Set aside.
Cook lentils in a pot with 2 1/2 cups boiling water, onions, garlic, and cumin. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, approximately 40 minutes. If using cooked lentils, stir-fry onions, garlic, and cumin first until onions are soft and then add lentils. Set aside.
Add macaroni to 4 cups boiling water and cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Alternately, you may put all the ingredients into a rice cooker, cover with water, and cook until done.
Onions
Vegetable spray
2 cups thinly sliced red or yellow onions
Heat a large frying pan and spray with oil. Add onions and cook, tossing until browned, for approximately 20 minutes. Set aside.
Sauce
1-1/2 cups prepared no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 teaspoons no-salt tomato paste
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
While onions are cooking, combine all sauce ingredients in a small pot, stir, cover, and simmer. This may also be done in the microwave.
Combine cooked rice, pasta, and lentil mixture in a bowl, top with sauce and onions, and serve hot!
| Total calories per serving: 406 | Fat: 2 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 80 grams | Protein: 17 grams |
| Sodium: 17 milligrams | Fiber: 16 grams |
Brown Rice Mujaddara
(Serves 5)
This lentil-and-rice comfort food can be served as a main dish, used as a side dish, or stuffed into a wrap.
1 cup uncooked lentils or 2-1/2 cups cooked, drained lentils
1 cup uncooked brown rice or 2 cups cooked rice
Water to cook lentils and rice if not precooked
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup minced yellow or red onions
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 Tablespoons chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
Cook rice and lentils separately, either in a rice cooker or on the stovetop. Set aside.
While rice and lentils are cooking, spray a large frying pan with vegetable oil and sauté onions until crisp. Stir in cumin powder.
In a large pot or microwave-safe bowl, combine rice, lentils, and onions. Quickly heat to combine flavors. Portion into individual dishes, top with green onions if desired, and serve hot.
| Total calories per serving: 288 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 56 grams | Protein: 13 grams |
| Sodium: 5 milligrams | Fiber: 14 grams |
Makloubeh (Layered Eggplant)
(Serves 6)
I was told that makloubeh means "upside down" and is both a comfort food and a dish to serve for a special occasion. Rather than the traditional meat ingredients, this version uses roasted vegetables. Please note that the rice for this recipe needs to pre-soak for at least 3 hours.
1 large unpeeled eggplant (approximately 1-1/2 pounds), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
Vegetable oil spray
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup brown rice, soaked in 2 cups water for at least 3 hours
2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or broth
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large frying pan with vegetable oil. Grill eggplant, cooking each slice for 1-2 minutes on each side. The eggplant does not need to be thoroughly cooked during this step because it will be cooked again. Set aside.
Mix together the cauliflower, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic. Spray with vegetable oil until coated. Place on a non-stick baking sheet, in one layer, and bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the vegetables are just crunchy.
While the vegetables are baking, drain the rice and combine with stock and spices in a small pot. Heat and stir, and allow to cook just until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. You are not thoroughly cooking the rice, just combining the flavors at this point.
Select a large pot or Dutch oven to hold all the ingredients. Alternate layers of eggplant and vegetables until all are used. Pour the rice and stock mixture over the layers. Cover and simmer gently, as you would like the layers to stay intact. Cook until the rice is soft, the liquid is absorbed, and the vegetables are thoroughly cooked. This may take 30-45 minutes, depending on your pot and your stove.
Remove from heat and allow to "rest" for 10 minutes. Portion this dish out so that everyone gets a layer of eggplant and a layer of vegetables. If you are feeling brave, you may want to invert the makloubah onto a serving plate. This creates a dramatic effect.
| Total calories per serving: 241 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 53 grams | Protein: 7 grams |
| Sodium: 88 milligrams | Fiber: 8 grams |
Vegan Kofta
(Serves 4)
Kofta is generally made with a meat paste. However, we tried this recipe using Field Roast when I was in Cairo, and we found our vegan version tasty and authentic! You can experiment with your favorite veggie burgers.
2 Field Roast FieldBurgers or vegan burgers of your choice, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon vegan mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 Tablespoon chopped green pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped onion
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Cold water as needed
Vegetable oil spray
Place vegan burgers in a food processor or blender and process until just crumbly. Add remaining ingredients, except water and vegetable oil spray, and process until a crumbly combination is achieved. Place mixture in a bowl and form into small cylinders, the length of a pinky finger. If needed, use cold water to help form the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with oil and place kofta on the sheet. Spray tops with oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until tops are browned and a bit crispy. Serve hot.
| Total calories per serving: 162 | Fat: 9 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 6 grams | Protein: 13 grams |
| Sodium: 251 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
Orange and Olive Salad
(Serves 4)
This savory salad is terrific served with vegan kofta!
6 naval oranges, peeled and sliced for 3 cups
1/2 cup drained, washed, and sliced black olives
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
In a large glass or plastic (not metal) bowl, combine oranges and olives.
In a small glass or plastic (not metal) bowl, combine lemon juice, cumin, and pepper. Sprinkle lemon juice mixture over oranges, cover, refrigerate, and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
| Total calories per serving: 113 | Fat: 2 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 24 grams | Protein: 2 grams |
| Sodium: 88 milligrams | Fiber: 5 grams |
Khoshaf (Compote)
(Serves 4-6)
This recipe works well served with both sweet and savory entrées or served as a dessert. It keeps for at least a week in the refrigerator.
1/2 cup pitted dried prunes
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup pitted, halved dates
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried, halved figs
1/2 cup walnuts and almonds
6 cups water
Combine all the dried fruit and nuts in a large glass or plastic (not metal) bowl. Add water, cover with a lid, and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. When ready, the fruit will be soft and will have made its own "sauce." Serve cold.
Note: To make this recipe nut-free, eliminate the walnuts and almonds, and cover the mixture with 4 cups of water rather than 6 cups.
| Total calories per serving: 402 | Fat: 10 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 82 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 8 milligrams | Fiber: 8 grams |
Egyptian Lemonade
(Serves 5)
This refreshing beverage is omnipresent... served on trains, on planes, and in the home!
1/2 cup organic sugar or other sweetener
1 cup boiling water
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup washed, torn, destemmed fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons orange blossom water (if available)
Ice cubes
Place vegan sweetener in boiling water, stir to dissolve, and allow to cool.
Pour lemon juice into a large serving pitcher. Add sweetener mixture. When ready to serve, stir in mint and orange blossom water to flavor the beverage. Pour over ice, and serve.
| Total calories per serving: 104 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 29 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 2 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
