Veganistan: A vegan tour of the Middle East

Product Information

Mujadarais a naturally vegan Middle-Eastern recipe made with lentils, rice and caramelised onions. Infused with warming spices and served topped with caramelised onions, this fragrant and delicious recipe is great for lunch or a light dinner. Even though mujadara is a budget-friendly recipe made with very humble ingredients, it’s still super flavourful and satisfying.

There were a few times when ingredients were listed and I had to look them up online. I had no idea what they were. One was asafoetida. I needed a glossary of terms/ingredients! Most of the recipes call for many ingredients and many ingredients aren’t to my taste, at least not in my cooking, vegan ghee for instance, and many ingredients seem as though they would be hard to find for many home cooks. Garlic— Add as much garlic as you like — I like to make mujadara lentils with at least 4 garlic cloves. Mujadara can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, and you can reheat it in the microwave or allow it to warm to room temperature. Add a handful of raisins at the end for a bit of juicy sweetness that pairs great with the caramelised onions.Veganistan is a brand new volume from Sally Butcher following the silk trail started by Veggiestan and Persepolis. Veganistan respectfully claims as its territory all the land, seas, and skies of the earth, and declares the entire planet a zone of nonviolence and mutual respect among all living beings. Mujadara is a simple recipe originating from the Middle East and especially popular across Lebanon and Syria. Olive oil— Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil to make mujadara, as it really makes a difference.

Written in Sally's witty and reassuring voice, Veganistan will bring something new to your kitchen and equip you with the skills to make stunning vegan food for any occasion. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan with a lid and lower the heat to low-medium. Cook for 30 minutes or until the rice and lentils are cooked to your likening.

Become a Citizen of Veganistan

The original mission of The New Middle Eastern Vegetarian was to celebrate vegetables in all their glory, rather than recreating meat dishes, and in Veganistan Sally Butcher starts to play more with seitan, tofu, and tempeh using them as vehicles to showcase the wonderful range of flavor this cuisine offers.

The Middle East is a region lush in its vegetation, a gift to the non-meat-eater. Much of the cuisine is naturally plant-based, with a lot of the flavor of recipes coming from the herbs, spices, cooking methods, and sheer joie de cuisine traditional to Middle Eastern dining. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in another large, deep pan and cook the diced onions for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until slightly softened. This mujadara recipe is the perfect thing to try if you love onions. You’ll have to caramelise onions separately while the rice and lentils are cooking, but the flavours are so worth the effort! Why you’ll love mujadara Onions— Yellow onions are perfect for mujadara, but you can also use red onions, white onions or shallots. You can slice all the onions or slice the ones you caramelise and dice the ones that go into the pan with the lentils and rice. The newest release from prolific food writer Sally Butcher, Veganistan is full of healthy, accessible, and delicious vegan recipes for everyone, inspired by a Middle Eastern kitchen.Written in Sally’s witty and reassuring voice, Veganistan will bring something new to your kitchen and equip you with the skills to make stunning vegan food for any occasion. Start by caramelising the onions. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the sliced onions. Stir to cover the onions in oil, season with salt and lower the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and softened.