Food for the Vegetarian: Traditional Lebanese Recipes

This book is one of my kitchen standards. I've had it for years, and have given it as a gift several times. As we have been eating less meat over the years, this book continues to be more useful. I'm part Lebanese, and find these recipes to taste as authentic as my relatives' traditional dishes. No wonder the book continues to be popular.

This is one of our favorite cookbooks. My wife and I use it for all types of occasions and are constantly inspired by the book's use of ingredients. We highly recommend this book to those looking to learn more about traditional Lebanese food, as well as those looking for great tasting Middle Eastern inspired vegetarian food.

Lebanese cooking is the queen of Middle-eastern cuisine. (If you are lucky enough to live in the Northeastern US where Lebanese restaurants are to be found, you can experience this yourself.)The Lebanese are particularly skilled with vegetarian foods like beans and salads. You can make hummus (chickpea and sesame puree dip) yourself instead of paying high prices for average preparations in the grocery store. Also, the tabbouleh recipe here is wonderful. This is a salad of soaked bulgur wheat (a bit like a pasta or rice, made of cooked, dehydrated cracked wheat berries) and tomatoes, parsley and lemon. It's refreshing and great for summer and to take to covered dish parties.You don't need meat to make good Lebanese food, as this book amply demonstrates. This is now one of our kitchen standards, and it really adds color and life to the vegetarian table.

This easy to read, easy to follow recipe book contains many Lebanese and Middle Eastern recipes common to almost all Americans (hummus) and goes beyond them to offer many other simple but elegant and wonderful dishes. The color photos demonstrate how the foods are traditionally served.The book also contains information on ingredients unknown to the typical American chef, and some background on Lebanese cooking. Many of the recipes are easy, requiring only ingredients found in any neighborhood supermarket.The book's only weakness is the state-by-state list of Middle Eastern grocers; numerous long-time grocers in my area, for example, are not included.As an introduction and immersion into Lebanese vegetarian cuisine, this one's a winner.