100 eastern recipes

Traditional tabbouleh salad with fine bulgur wheat, fresh mint, parsley, lemon juice, and ripe tomatoes. A bright, herby Middle Eastern side dish served cold.

Lentil kufta, a Middle Eastern vegetarian patty made with red lentils and bulgur, seasoned with sauteed onions, scallions, and red pepper. No-fry vegan appetizer shaped into balls or one big mound.

Kalakukko: a traditional Finnish rye-crusted fish pie with pork and small whole fish sealed inside a dense rye dough, slow-baked for hours. A Savonian heirloom and Easter specialty.

Mujaddara: the humble, soul-satisfying Middle Eastern dish of lentils, rice, and bulgur, cooked with cumin and crowned with deeply browned onions. A hearty, protein-rich vegan meal made from pantry staples.

This is a Middle Eastern soup, typical of the simple foods served in the desert regions. Serve with pita bread and a grain or vegetable dish for a simple meal. This soup is also food served cold, stuffed into a pita bread.

Persian-style mandarine rice with saffron, julienned carrots, slivered almonds, and sultanas in a citrus syrup. Soaked rice baked under a jeweled mandarin and saffron glaze.

Rich Portuguese chickpea soup partially pureed for creamy body, studded with browned pepperoni, stir-fried spinach, potatoes, thyme, and coriander. A hearty, layered bowl.

Kolachki: tender, flaky Eastern European cream cheese cookies wrapped around a sweet ground walnut filling and rolled in sugar. A buttery, melt-in-your-mouth holiday tradition.

Traditional Norwegian spinach soup (Spinatsuppe) built on a rich chicken stock and thickened with a butter roux. Garnished with sliced hard-cooked eggs for a classic Scandinavian touch, ready in about an hour.

Kransekake, a traditional Scandinavian tower cake made from ground almonds, powdered sugar, potato flour, and egg whites. A gluten-free celebration cake for Christmas and weddings.

Lentil salad with smoked turkey, fresh tarragon, and a tangy yogurt-Dijon dressing. A protein-packed main-dish salad that holds up beautifully for lunch the next day.

Flourless chocolate espresso torte for Passover with a full pound of chocolate, espresso, butter, and eggs. No flour or leavening needed. Dense, crackly-topped, and dusted with powdered sugar.

A kosher-for-Passover chocolate fudge torte: a flourless matzo-meal sponge layered with rich chocolate fudge frosting. Dairy-free and parve, rising on whipped egg whites instead of leavening.

A showstopping Persian jeweled rice (javaher polow) layered with saffron-glazed carrots, barberries, currants, pistachios, almonds, orange peel, and rose water. Topped with a golden tah dig crust.

Kentucky-style burgoo with three meats: stewing beef, pork shoulder, and whole chicken simmered for hours with fresh corn, lima beans, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Best veggie burger with bulgur, chickpeas, tahini, and grated zucchini, carrot, and apple. A vegan burger with real texture and Middle Eastern flavor that holds together on the grill.