Tahini and Turmeric

April 2, 2018
The debut cookbook from food bloggers Cohen and Fox is a colorful celebration of Middle Eastern food and cooking. These family recipes from their Jewish-Lebanese household in Barcelona include a range of ingredients, like harissa, sumac, and cardamom, which the authors believe lend themselves well to veganized interpretations and plant-based cooking while still honoring classic dishes. Their mini-meatless pies with tofu, inspired by a beef dish called lajme bil ajin, and stuffed grape leaves with figs and blood orange are both solid examples of these adaptations. For brunch or breakfast, Cohen and Fox suggest cashew-ricotta Syrian pancakes with orange blossom syrup, nutty cinnamon rolls with halvah icing, or zucchini fritters with cucumber yogurt sauce. For lunch and dinner, the authors encourage mixing from many different categories to create a full Middle Eastern table, such as “deconstructed hummus” (chickpeas atop tahini sauce), a wild rice mujadarra, and mushroom-stuffed potato cradles. The desserts are decadent yet simple, with recipes for chocolate-dipped, walnut-stuffed dates, and a creamy tahini cheesecake with pistachio crust and pomegranates. This volume is the perfect answer for those looking for a trendy, plant-based taste of Middle Eastern favorites.

August 1, 2018

These recipes by coauthors/sisters Cohen and Fox have a rich heritage--the ingredients reflect the spices of Lebanon, Israel, and Syria, with a Mediterranean core of vegetables and an American appetite for quick meals. Childhoods spent in Barcelona provides the familiar ingredients of tomatoes, eggplant, lentils and chickpeas, while residences in the United States contribute foodstuffs such as quinoa and corn. The juxtapositions are tantalizing--oatmeal with pistachios and pomegranates and shakshuka with polenta. Middle Eastern food is distinguished by its spices, and this book provides recipes for dukkah; an Egyptian mix of seeds, nuts, and salt; and the authors' own "good-on-everything" mix and homemade pomegranate molasses. Ingredients such as nigella seeds, sumac, and harissa are becoming easier to find in specialty grocery stores and online. Tahini, long a supermarket staple, is ubiquitous in sauces, salad dressings and especially in desserts. Most recipes can be finished in under an hour and a half, with tips for preprepping more time consuming ingredients. Many take less than a half hour. VERDICT Fresh, accessible vegan recipes that will appeal to all cooks.--Jeanette McVeigh, Univ. of the Sciences, Philadelphia

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