These kebab skewers with salatet zabadi are a vegan take on Egyptian-style kebabs. Lentils, chickpeas, and vital wheat gluten form the base for the seitan pieces. Harissa, soy sauce, mushroom seasoning, liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and sage give the kebabs a smoky, savory flavor.

This recipe is from The Vegan Middle Eastern Cookbook by Noha Elbadry-Cloud. The seitan pieces simmer first, then marinate with olive oil, soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, liquid smoke, smoked paprika, and coriander. After a few hours in the fridge, they go onto skewers and roast until crisp around the edges.

Serve these kebab skewers with salatet zabadi, quinoa, salad, tomatoes, cucumber, mint, pickled red onions, and lime wedges. The yogurt dip uses vegan yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, which gives the plate a cool side for the roasted kebabs. This recipe makes four servings and suits dinner or sharing.

Reprinted with permission from The Vegan Middle Eastern Cookbook by Noha Elbadry-Cloud. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Noha Elbadry-Cloud.

How to make these vegan kebab skewers

These vegan kebab skewers use lentils, chickpeas, vital wheat gluten, harissa, smoked paprika, pomegranate molasses, and liquid smoke. Serve them with salatet zabadi, quinoa, salad, and pickled onions for a full Middle Eastern-inspired meal.

Vegan Kebab Skewers With Salatet Zabadi with yogurt dip, seasonings, lentils, and chickpeas

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Servings

Ingredients

For the Kebab Dough

1 (15-oz [425-g]) can lentils, undrained
2/3 cup (109 g) cooked chickpeas
3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 g) harissa paste
1 tbsp (12 g) mushroom seasoning or no-beef bouillon
2 tsp (10 ml) liquid smoke
1 tbsp (7 g) onion powder
1 tbsp (7 g) garlic powder
1 tbsp (7 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups (240 g) vital wheat gluten, plus more if needed

For the Kebab Marinade

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp (20 g) pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid smoke
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground coriander

For the Salatet Zabadi

1½ cups (115 g) vegan yogurt
1 English cucumber grated then placed in a towel and wrung out
¼ cup (13 g) chopped dill
2 tbsp (11 g) chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1 large clove garlic minced
1 tsp sea salt

To Serve

Spring mix
Sliced cherry tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers
Chopped fresh mint
Pickled red onions
Cooked quinoa
Lime wedges

Instructions

To make the kebab, add 1 cup (240 ml) of water to a food processor with the lentils, chickpeas, soy sauce, harissa, mushroom seasoning, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sage and salt. Pulse it until completely smooth and creamy.
Place the vital wheat gluten in a large bowl. Pour the creamy lentil mixture on top and knead until combined. Add more gluten 1 tablespoon (8 g) at a time if the mixture is too wet and not holding together. Transfer the dough to a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes or knead by hand for 10 minutes. The dough should be elastic and moist without being crumbly.
Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Chop the kebab dough into bite-sized pieces; smaller is better because seitan expands as it cooks. Transfer the seitan to the pot and simmer the seitan bites for 30 to 40 minutes, or until meaty and tender. Drain the seitan bites and set them aside to cool.
To make the marinade, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, liquid smoke, smoked paprika and coriander in a large container with a lid. Transfer the seitan to the container and toss to coat. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To cook the kebab, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Arrange the seitan bites on skewers, transfer them to a grilling pan, brush them with the marinade and roast them for 10 minutes. Flip the skewers, brush them with the marinade again and continue roasting until crispy on all sides, about 7 to 10 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside.
To make the salatet zabadi, combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a large container with an airtight lid. Mix well and cover. Refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 3 days.
To plate, start with a base of spring mix, then top with tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, pickled onions and the kebab skewers. Serve with a side of salatet zabadi, quinoa and a couple of lime wedges.

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