139 eastern recipes

Middle Eastern lamb kebabs (kofta) blend ground lamb with garlic, ginger, cumin, mint, and parsley before grilling on skewers. Serve with pita, salad, and yogurt for an authentic mezze dinner.

Asian-inspired pork burgers with soy sauce, dry sherry, and fresh ginger root. Grilled hot for juicy, savory patties that beat plain beef burgers any night.

Middle Eastern pita sandwich stuffed with hummus, tabouli, crumbled feta, olives, and crisp romaine. A fast vegetarian lunch with Mediterranean flavors and a lemon-dill drizzle.

While growing up, my Polish-Russian grandmother, who lived with our family, made these little meat patties quite often and they were a family favorite. Here is my rendition, from what I remember when cooking with Grandma, as she never wrote the recipe down. The patties were always served with mashed potatoes, green beans, applesauce, and, of course, plenty of ketchup for the patties.

Tender braised pot roast with Mediterranean spices, olives, and tomatoes. This aromatic one-pot dinner fills your kitchen with the warm scent of cumin, cinnamon, and garlic.

Crisp Middle Eastern salad with chopped cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, and scallions tossed in a creamy dill yogurt dressing. A refreshing, no-cook side dish ready in 10 minutes.

Spiced baba ghanoush with broiled eggplant, lemon, olive oil, and a warming hit of allspice and cinnamon. A Middle Eastern dip with unexpected spice depth, served with pita and fresh herbs.

Quick baba ghanoush with steamed eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic, and a hint of cumin. The 13-minute version that skips the smoky char in favor of pure, clean eggplant flavor.

Authentic Lebanese tabouli with bulgur, mountains of fresh parsley and mint, tomato, scallions, lemon, and olive oil. A bright, parsley-forward Middle Eastern salad.

Smoky baba ghanoush gets its deep, fire-kissed flavor from whole eggplants charred over medium-hot coals. Blended with tahini, garlic, lemon, and a touch of sugar for balance. A creamy Middle Eastern dip that puts hummus on notice.

Baba ghannuj eggplant appetizer baked whole and mashed with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil. The vegan Middle Eastern dip that turns one eggplant into a dinner-table star.

Lamb kebabs marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and ground coriander, then broiled on bamboo skewers until charred at the edges and pink in the middle. A Middle Eastern grill night classic.

The combination of orange and spices paired with dark chocolate makes these pretty cookies from Mary LaRock of Waukesha unique and delicious. Their interesting shape enhances any cookie platter.

This version of the garlicky roasted eggplant dip does not have tahini in it as with a traditional version. While I really like an "authentic" baba ghanoush, I also enjoy the commercial Sabra brand, which uses mayo and some spices. It is slightly sweet and has a little kick. This is my rendition.

Baba ghanoush blends roasted eggplant with garlic, cumin, and lime juice into a smoky Middle Eastern dip. Vegan, five-ingredient, and ready in 30 minutes. No tahini in this lighter version.

Garam masala lamb kebabs marinated in spiced yogurt with ginger, garlic, and fresh coriander, then grilled until charred and finished with a dusting of warm, toasted garam masala. Includes a from-scratch spice blend.