Chickpeas

This thick soup, or ash, is chock full of nutrients and fiber. A mix of beans, lentils, barley and vegetables, ash-e jow is slow simmered to make a rich, nourishing, rib-sticking dish. Eliminate the meat and use vegetable stock or water for a great vegetarian meal. Read more »

Besan laddu or ladoo is a very easy sweet to make and is popular throughout India, especially at festivals and celebrations. It is said to be the favorite sweet of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh. Read more »

This straightforward couscous dish is one of the most popular dishes in Morocco and the rest of the Maghreb. Seven is considered a lucky number, and while the vegetables used in the dish may vary from family to family, town to town and season to season, the number used is constant. A great vegetarian dish, you can add meat if you like. Read more »

Falafel is the original veggie burger and is a common dish throughout the Middle East. It is found in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Egypt, and is especially popular with Palestinians. In Egypt it is known as tamiyah or taamiyah. Israelis sometimes call it the "national food of Israel." Read more »

Gundi, a wholesome and comforting dish of dumplings made of ground chicken and chickpea flour, originated with the Jewish population of Iran. The recent emigration of Iranian Jews people to Israel has made gundi (sometimes called gondi) more and more familiar to Israelis. Read more »

Harira is a soup from the Maghreb region of North Africa that is especially popular as an iftar meal to break the daily fast during Ramadan. There are innumerable variations of this hearty, healthy soup, but most recipes are for chunks of lamb slow simmered with tomatoes, chickpeas, spices and herbs. Read more »

Hummus is popular appetizer, or meze, throughout the Middle East. Serve with grilled or toasted pita bread cut into wedges. Or use as a sandwich or wrap spread. Read more »

Minestra di ceci is a simple and nourishing soup from the Tuscan region of Italy. It goes together quickly and is great for a rainy day. Serve it with a nice chunk of crusty bread for a full meal. Read more »

Musaqa'a (moo-sa-KAH) is similar to French ratatouille. Though the pronunciation is the same, and both contain eggplant, this vegetarian dish is not the same as Greek moussaka. Also spelled musakka'a or musaqaa. Read more »

Puchero is a meat and chickpea stew from the Andalusia region of Spain. Pork, sausages and often chicken are slow-simmered with hearty vegetables and garbanzo beans. Puchero was originally a wintertime peasant dish eaten over several days, first with rice, then with noodles, then with the remainder incorporated into other dishes. Puchero is also popular in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Filipinos have their own version, which is sometimes spelled pochero. Read more »