Customer Reviews

Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East and North Africa

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm sure most people reading about "vegetarian middle-eastern" cookbooks are good cooks when they have the time and inclination. But I, for one, have grown bored with my own repertoire. Most cookbooks are more fun to read than to actually cook from. Or they have ingredients that, even living in New York City, seem annoyingly inaccessible.

This book has lots of very easy recipes that are healthy vegetarian (hardly any animal fat with the exception of yoghurt in cold dishes). I can imagine actually(!) making just about everything, there's even a section on arab desserts -- the easy kind made of farina. This is probably the best cookbook I've ever bought. I think it's useful whatever your level of cooking expertise, but you need to be a fan of the meditterranean diet. We're talking beans, legumes, olive oil, yoghurt, eggplant, a few other vegetables.
Recipe details:-- it's true most are simple, but unless you were raised in a middle-eastern family I don't know how you would've thought of these combinations -- even if you're say very familiar with Greek or Italian food, I think this is pretty new stuff.
Some "recipes" include: yoghurt ginger appetizer (includes almonds, onions, ginger, tomato);many types of lentil soups from various middle eastern countries (the egyptian one includes butter and cumin, the one from bahrain adds tomato, vermicelli, and ground coriander);fried pepper salad; orange and olive salad; beet salad; stuffed eggplant; and vegetable casserole.
Nothing sounds 'exciting' but it is all very accessible and well seasoned. It's like you could turn to this book and make every meal from it -- that is if you like meditterranean food.

Vegetarian dishes can be boring sometimes. You can only do so much with a can of chickpeas, or an eggplant or even a salad. Not so with Habeeb Salloum's Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East and North Africa. Presenting dishes from all over these regions, Mr. Salloum's recipes inspire the cook to garnish a table with these non-meat dishes. With an introduction and historical explanation of these dishes, preparation of the meals comes easy and the mouth watering delights even more enjoyable when eaten. Twenty-five recipes prepared so far and all have had a 100% review from family and friends. No kitchen should be without it!

This is a wonderful book not only for the recipes but for the insights in to the part food plays in the everyday lives and culture of the people of the Middle East and North Africa. Salloum gives a brief history of most of the dishes and places them in geographical and cultural context. I enjoyed reading it as much for the delicious food as the explainations. My only criticism would be that there are no pictures in the book so a novice cook like myself has little idea of how to serve the recipes. A minor quibble... it is a lovely book and has delicious, tasty recipes.

Bought this book on a whim for my vegetarian husband for a birthday gift. Turns out that every dish is absolutley delicious. We have tried many recipies in the book and have been very happy with the simplicity and results. We highly recommend the purchase of this book if you are interested in middle eastern and/or vegetarian cooking.

The recipes are clearly written, easy to make, and very tasty. This book, more than any other, convinced me that it is practical to be a vegetarian. Most dishes take very little time to prepare, unlike earlier cookbooks that seemed to require the entire day. The meals are healthy, light, and varied.

I checked this book out from my local library, and will be sad to return it this week. It was interesting to read through, to see some of the different customs associated with different recipes and regions. I also enjoyed learning how the same food (like falafel) differs from place to place. So far, I have only prepared one recipe, falafel Yemeni style, and they were delicious. The directions were clear and easy to follow.

I love this book. It has such a great variety of recipes from every country of the middle east. I have made recipes from this book that I have shared with middle easterners and westerners, and have recieved many compliments from everybody. The recipes are very clear and well written.

I have been going to this book again and again ever since I bought it. The food is delicious and (mostly) healthy, exotic yet homey at the same time. Everything I have made from this book has been really wonderful. I also love all of the stories behind many of the recipe.
I would also like to add that many of the recipes can easily be made vegan if you prefer-not all recipes though, there's an entire chapter on egg dishes. Butter is used quite a bit in the book, mostly for sauteeing vegetables, so substituting a bit of olive oil (or other vegetable oil if you like) is a healthier and vegan-friendly option than butter. I also wish the book had photos, but it's so great I can't dock it any points for that.

A superbly organized and presented compendium of recipes reflecting vegetarian cuisines from the countries and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, "Classic Vegetarian Cooking" offers a cornucopia of wonderful dishes showcasing the use of pungent herbs and diverse spices, aromatic stews and soups, falafels and breads, couscous, stuffed grape leaves, greens and vegetables, hummus, pizzas, pies, omelets, pastries and sweets, yogurt drinks and amazing coffees. Many of the recipes have their origins with the peasantry who could not afford meat as a part of their daily diet. In "Classic Vegetarian Cooking" author and culinary expert Habeeb Salloum presents 330 distinctive, gourmet quality recipes that have stood the test of time and taste. To put it simply, any kitchen chef or community library wanting to add elegance to their vegetarian cookbook collection would be well advised to add a copy of Habeeb Salloum's "Classic Vegetarian Cooking From The Middle East And North Africa"!

Okay, so 4 months ago I become a vegetarian and one that is also gluten free at that.
I borrowed this from the library and immediately became hooked on the recipes - I had to buy it for myself. If it weren't for these recipes I might not have stayed with a healthier and happier diet.
It has become one of my absolutely favorite cookbooks. I love the various different lentil dishes, chickpea stews and soups, and many more. I've shared recipes with friends and introduced them to foods they didn't think they'd like. To me - it's an MUST have for any new vegetarian. I LOVE IT.!!!!!!