The Essential Middle Eastern Kitchen

By
Emily H
-
Photo by healthy_and_girly/Instagram

Middle Eastern cuisine is a beautiful blend of spices, freshness, and bold flavors. It’s a cuisine that can be adapted to fit any kind diet and nutrition, and the end result will always be delicious. If you are looking to experiment with Middle Eastern flavors, stock up your pantry and fridge with these essentials and you’ll be set!

Tahini

Tahini is a sesame seed paste that can be used to make other dishes like hummus or baba ganoush, but it can also be eaten on it’s own or as a dressing. There are so many possibilities with tahini, and experimenting with it’s sweet and savory notes is a fun way to get to know the culture.

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Make this creamy vegan sauce to drizzle on some homemade falafels, or use it as a badass salad dressing. For those of you that are skeptical about tahini, try it! Once you’ve tasted the tangy sweetness of this sesame seed-based sauce, you’ll never want to go back. It is also getting easier and easier to find, which is a plus! If you really prefer not to use tahini, feel free to sub with additional hummus instead. However, I do have to say, the tahini gives this plant-based sauce a delicious kick. . https://www.raepublic.com/recipes/creamy-garlic-sauce . INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup hummus 1/4 cup tahini 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup water . INSTRUCTIONS Add all ingredients into a bowl and whisk together thoroughly. Drizzle over freshly made vegan Falafels! . . . . . . #glutenfree #eeeeeats #veganlunch #whatvegetarianseat #hautecuisines #foodglooby #heresmyfood #cuisinesworld #foods4thought #wholefoodsfaves #plantbased #foodgawker #thrivemags #beautifulcuisines #healthycuisines #lovesprouts #fellowmag #cleaneating #f52grams #kitchn #vegansofig #crueltyfreefood #whatveganseat #veganfoodshare #bestofvegan #raepublic #falafel #tahini #tahinidressing

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Couscous

Couscous comes in two main varieties: the smaller grain variety from Morraco and the pearled from Israel. Israeli couscous is a bit starchier, while Morracan couscous blends in easier to salads. These are both essential grains of the Middle East and can be used as a base to lentils, chickpeas, or whatever you’re serving up.

Herbs

Herbs are the cornerstone to most Middle Eastern dishes. From salads to tabbouleh, a dish can really suffer without fresh herbs. Parsley and mint are used most, but any fresh herb will usually do the trick.