Asian Vegetable Dishes

Japchae is a South Korean dish made by stir-frying glass noodles and vegetables. The dish is often served with beef and additionally flavored with sugar and soy sauce. The name of the dish is translated to a mixture of vegetables. The ori... READ MORE

A specialty of North India, chana masala is a tangy chickpea curry that is commonly consumed as a snack, main meal, or breakfast. Arguably, it is the most popular vegetarian dish in India, commonly found on railway platforms, at work, in school ca... READ MORE

This traditional Turkish white bean stew is a staple in virtually every household and lokanta—an establishment serving simple but hearty meals to people on the go. Kuru fasulye translates to dried beans which are first soak... READ MORE

Namul is a widely accepted term used to refer to Korean vegetable side dishes, which can include green leafy vegetables, starchy root varieties, sprouts, green beans, and occasionally even fruit. The ingredients are used in raw, pickled, fried, sa... READ MORE

Palak paneer is a popular Indian vegetarian dish made with paneer cheese in a rich, thick sauce consisting of puréed spinach mixed with tomatoes, garam masala, garlic, and numerous spices. The key ingredients are even mentioned in the name ... READ MORE

Although it originated in Punjab, dal makhani has become one of the most popular Indian lentil dishes, both in the country and outside of its borders. It consists of red kidney beans and whole black lentils, which also go under the name uradREAD MORE

Mahshi is the name for a wide group of dishes which include a variety of vegetables stuffed with rice, vegetables, and meat. It is similar to dolma dishes, but the name is primarily used in Arabic, North African, and Eastern Mediterranean... READ MORE

Dal tadka or tadkewali dal is a traditional legume-based dish originating from the northern parts of India. Although there are variations, the dish is usually prepared with toor dal (split yellow pigeon peas), garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes, gar... READ MORE

Khoresh gheimeh, occasionally called simply gheimeh or gheimeh polo, is a traditional meat stew made with yellow split beans. Traditionally it was always made with cubed beef or lamb, but modern variations sometimes include lean ... READ MORE

Rajma is one of the most popular vegetarian dishes of North India. It consists of red kidney beans which are stewed in a rich gravy combined with numerous spices. The dish is usually prepared for festivities and special occasions, when it is typic... READ MORE

Misal is a specialty dish of the Indian state of Maharashtra, its name literally translated to a mixture of everything, so the ingredients vary from cook to cook. However, a combination of these ingredients is the most common in a typical... READ MORE

Pav bhaji is a popular street snack originating from the Indian state of Maharashtra. It consists of a vegetable curry that is typically served with a soft bread roll known as pav. The dish was invented in the 1850s as a midnight meal by ... READ MORE

Kimchi bokkeumbap is a simple South Korean dish made with a combination of fried rice and kimchi. It is considered to be a great way to use leftover kimchi. The dish can also be enriched with additional ingredients such as meat, vegetables, and so... READ MORE

Red bean soup is a classic Chinese soup that is commonly consumed as a dessert, made from red azuki beans, lotus seeds, and tangerine or orange peel. The soup isn't too sweet, and has a subtle sweetness instead, ideal for rounding off a large Chin... READ MORE

Karnıyarık is a classic Turkish dish consisting of eggplants that are stuffed with a combination of ground meat (usually beef), tomatoes, and onions. The filling is typically seasoned only with salt and pepper, but garlic and parsley can also be a... READ MORE

Ful medames is an ancient, pre-Ottoman and pre-Islamic national dish of Egypt, a traditional breakfast food consisting of slowly simmered fava beans seasoned with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and selected spices. Some remnants of t... READ MORE

Sabzi khordan refers to an assortment of fresh herbs and vegetables served as an essential part of most Iranian meals. It usually consists of basil, dill, mint, parsley, radishes, scallions, and a variety of other fresh herbs and vegetables. Tradi... READ MORE

Kızartma is a Turkish dish consisting of fried vegetables. Although the combination of potatoes and chili peppers is the most popular, you can also use vegetables such as eggplants and zucchinis. The vegetables are fried in oil until they become t... READ MORE

Malai kofta is a traditional North Indian dish consisting of fried potato and paneer balls in a creamy sauce. The dish is commonly served at festivals, celebrations, and weddings due to its rich texture and flavors. A typical dish of Mughal cuisin... READ MORE

Misal pav is a traditional dish originating from Maharashtra. Its two main components are misal – a curry made with sprouted moth beans, usually topped with chivda, onions, chilis, and potatoes – and pav, bread rolls ... READ MORE

This flavorful Iranian appetizer combines grilled or oven-roasted eggplants and kashk—a fermented by-product typically made with yogurt whey. The main ingredients are mashed until creamy, with the addition of sautéed onions, garlic, v... READ MORE

Piyaz is a traditional salad. In most of the country, it's a general term for a dish of dried beans, parsley, onions, and sumac. In Antalya, however, piyaz also contains a rich and smooth sauce consisting of tahini, lemon juice, and vinegar. The b... READ MORE

A tempura variety known as kakiage is distinguished by the use of flour and water, with the occasional addition of egg yolks, which creates a light coating and yields an incredibly crispy snack. Most commonly, it consists of thinly sliced vegetabl... READ MORE

Imam bayildi (lit. the Imam fainted) is a Turkish dish consisting of eggplants cut in a way that they look like long canoes, filled with a combination of onions, red peppers, garlic, and tomatoes. The dish is flavored with oregano, cumin, paprika,... READ MORE

Mattar paneer is a popular vegetarian dish of North Indian origin, made with peas and paneer cheese in a garam masala-spiced tomato sauce. The rich, thick curry is a specialty of Punjab, but it is widely enjoyed throughout India. Traditionally, th... READ MORE

Phak bung fai daeng is a vegetable stir-fry consisting of chopped Chinese water morning glory, fried along with red bird’s eye chilis, soybean sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, salted soybean paste, sugar, oil, and chicken broth or water. The... READ MORE

Ash-e jo is a hearty Iranian soup which combines barley and various beans and lentils. It appears in numerous varieties and can be complemented with various vegetables, spices, and fresh herbs. Even though meat is easily incorporated into the soup... READ MORE

Avial is an Indian dish with origins in the Kerala region, although it is equally popular in Tamil Nadu and Udupi. Its name means to be cooked, and the dish consists of a combination of vegetables, coconut, and curry leaves. Avial is an i... READ MORE

Botok is Javanese dish made from a mixture of grated coconut and various ingredients, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until aromatic and tender. The heart of botok lies in the grated coconut flesh, usually the by... READ MORE

This Indonesian stir-fry is usually based on vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, mushrooms, or Chinese broccoli, but it is occasionally prepared with the addition of beef, shrimps, chicken, or fish meatballs. The ingredients a... READ MORE

Patrode is a savory vegetarian dish from Malvani and Maharashtrian cuisine. Basic ingredients are the same throughout the entire region - taro (colocasia) leaves stuffed (or chopped up) with a mixture of gram flour, tamarind, jaggery, and various ... READ MORE

Ohitashi is a traditional dish and a technique in which vegetables (and sometimes seafood) are boiled and immersed in a dashi-based sauce. Nowadays, the dish is usually prepared with spinach that's boiled, topped with dried bonito flakes (kats... READ MORE

Buddha's delight is a popular dish both in numerous Chinese households and in Buddhist temples, since it is a vegetarian dish, often consisting of more than ten different types of vegetables which are cooked in soy sauce and spices until they deve... READ MORE

Among numerous varieties of Iranian kuku dishes, the eggplant-based kuku bedemjan is one of the classics. Besides eggplants and eggs, it can consist of various other vegetables, fresh herbs, spices, and occasionally chopped walnuts or tan... READ MORE

Tempe orek is one of the most common ways how to prepare tempeh in Indonesia. This protein-rich soy product was invented in Indonesia, and it is commonly used as the main or additional ingredient in numerous dishes. In this version, a blo... READ MORE

Oil-cured eggplants are a staple throughout Levantine and Middle Eastern cuisine. The dish is traditionally prepared with small-sized baby eggplants that are shortly boiled and stuffed with a flavorful mixture of roasted red peppers, walnuts, garl... READ MORE

Mirza Ghassemi is an eggplant specialty that hails from the Gilan province of Iran. The dish is prepared with eggplants that are first grilled or charred on an open flame before they are finely chopped and combined with tomatoes, garlic, and turme... READ MORE

This simple Indian dish consists of red beans (rajma) and cooked rice (chawal). Rajma is traditionally made with onions and tomato purée which acts as a gravy for the red beans. This dish makes for a complete vegetarian me... READ MORE

Naz khatun is an authentic Iranian vegetable condiment which originated in the city of Behshahr. It is prepared with fire-roasted or oven-roasted eggplants, a rather large amount of herbs, and the unusual verjuice, a zesty drink made from... READ MORE

Tumis kangkung is a traditional dish originating from Java. The dish is usually made with a combination of kangkung (water spinach), shallots, garlic, galangal, hot chili peppers, sugar, salt, oil, and roasted shrimp paste. The garlic, shallots, h... READ MORE

Beguni is a simple dish consists of deep-fried eggplant slices. The variations may include dipping the slices in batter or coating them with various combination of gram flour and spices. The batter is usually prepared with rice and gram flour, whi... READ MORE

Bhortas or bhartas are a group of dishes mainly associated with Bangladesh. The group encompasses various combinations of mashed herbs, vegetables, or fish whose base typically combines mustard oil, garlic, onions, and red chili peppers. The most ... READ MORE