Easy vegan couscous and Egyptian vegetarian roqaq recipes

We have already brought you several summer time recipes, as well as new takes on watermelon, but here is another vegan or vegetarian option with a fun, exciting and intriguing Middle Eastern-styled flavor.

Salad: Couscous with greens and olives

This fulfilling and nutritional summer salad can act as a main dish on its own. A traditional Moroccan styled dish that just livens up the summer months with its neat texture.

Ingredients:

1 cup couscous,

1 cup Kalamata olives, halved

1/2 cup Parsley finely chopped,

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (available at all supermarkets)

2 tomatoes without skin (soak in hot water for 5 minutes and then remove skin)

2 cups (steamed or lightly boiled) Broccoli

1 Tbs cumin

1 Tbs cinnamon

Chili to your liking

Start by adding the spices to the Couscous and cover; set to side and leave for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, mix it with the parsley. Add the mixture to the Couscous. Next, add in the olives and top with the broccoli and sprinkle some olive oil on top. Serve cold.

Main dish – Egyptian Roqaq with vegetables

Note: Roqaq is thin-layered wheat strips. You buy them hard and soften via water and they are used similarly to lasagna. Or you can make them easily.

Ingredients

1 to 1.5 cup of warm water

4 cups of flour

1 tsp of salt

Dough: iMix the flour, salt and water until a dough is formed and not sticky. You can add flour little by little until it is not sticky if needed. Divide the dough into 10 balls and cover. Let them rest. Warm over to 400 degrees F and place a tray upside down inside.Take the first ball and on a surface covered with flour, roll it into circular thin layer. Move the dough to the oven onto the tray for a couple of minutes. You have the basis for roqaq.

This traditional Egyptian lasagna-style dish is commonplace in restaurants, cafes and in the home. Usually served with ground beef and loads of cheese, we have taken them out to make it inviting and tasty for the non-meat eaters around. It’s still just as good, if not better.

How to make Egyptian Roqaq

5 layers of Roqaq pastry/bread

1 1/2 cup Vegetable stock

Filling:

2 cups olives, finely chopped

1 large onion or two medium ones, sliced

2 garlic gloves, minced

3 cups bell peppers, diced

2 Tbs olive oil

(you can add soft cheese if you are not vegan and nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan if you are)

Begin by preparing the filling. Fry the onion lightly until it becomes transparent; add the garlic and stir. Next, add the peppers until they become soft. Remove from skillet, add the olives and set to the side.

Tip the Roqaq layers one by one quickly in the room temperature vegetable stock until they become semi-soft. Do not prolong this process or they can get mushy. Add some olive oil to the round and semi-deep tray. Add the first two layers then add in the filing, then add the remaining layers of the roqaq.

Bake in the oven over medium heat for approximately 25 minutes.

Take out and serve with leafy green vegetables.

Serves: 2-3 people

Try out these other green Ramadan-appropriate recipes:
Freekah, Delicious Ancient “New Grain”
Two Fresh Fig Recipes With Arak and Cream
Recipe: Seasoned Slow-Roasted Tomatoes