109 eastern recipes

Easter egg nests made with chocolate-coated chow mein noodles shaped into bird's nests and filled with jelly beans. A no-bake Easter treat kids can help make.

Spiced vegetable couscous with curry, cumin, and coriander, loaded with broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, chickpeas, and raisins. A colorful vegan meal made entirely in the microwave.

Middle Eastern lentil stew with potatoes, zucchini, and cumin, served with lemon wedges. A hearty, budget-friendly one-pot meal that's naturally high in fiber and protein.

No-bake Easter pie with whipped gelatin folded into a graham cracker crust. Color it any flavor you like, garnish with jelly beans, and chill until firm.

Mageritsa is the traditional Greek Easter lamb soup served after midnight Resurrection Mass. Lamb offal, rice, dill and scallions in a tart avgolemono broth thickened with egg and lemon.

While Schwartz describes the name for this Israeli dish as slightly pretentious, he notes that it won a cooking competition and found its way onto the menus of five star hotels. He recommends serving it over a bed or bulgur pilaf.

Tabbouli salad with bulgur soaked in hot vegetable stock, fresh parsley, mint, tomato, and a punchy lemon-garlic dressing. A bright, low-fat vegan Middle Eastern side.

Hearty lentils simmered with bell peppers, hot chilies, and fresh tomatoes in Middle Eastern spices. Healthy vegetarian main or side served hot or cold.

A creative fusion filling that brings together Middle Eastern hummus and Mexican tamales. Chickpeas, tahini, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce blended into a thick paste, then wrapped in corn husks.

Garlicky falafel from soaked dried chickpeas, ground with onion, potato, and four cloves of garlic. The traditional Middle Eastern street food technique with a crisp exterior and fluffy interior.

Crispy-fried chickpea fritters spiked with cumin, garlic, and red chilies, tucked into warm pita pockets with fresh vegetables for authentic Middle Eastern street food.

Ukrainian cold fruit soup pureed with apples, pears, cherries, plums, and peaches in cinnamon-lemon broth with sweet wine and cranberry juice. A chilled summer soup bursting with orchard flavors.

Whole roasted chicken rubbed under the skin with garlic, lemon, and fresh rosemary, roasted alongside potatoes in one pan. A simple, elegant Easter dinner that serves 10.

Grind white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger into a classic French spice blend that adds warmth and subtle complexity to pâtés, sausages, and slow-braised meats.

Try this new clean and tasty rendition of deviled eggs that uses plain yogurt to replace the mayonaise.

I add a couple of teaspoons of multi-colored nonpareils to make them a bit more festive.