Yasmin Khan

In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.

This fragrant salad uses bulgur wheat as its base, an endlessly versatile, slightly chewy grain that’s very popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean.

This luscious chilled yogurt soup, packed with fresh and dried mint, is an incredibly refreshing and cooling appetizer during the summer.

This vegan version of the classic North African scramble uses soft silken tofu instead of eggs without any sacrifice of flavor.

A popular sweet in Turkey, candied pumpkin requires few ingredients and a little time.

Halloumi and mint are a classic Cypriot flavor combination and they meld so perfectly together. This recipe is inspired by my hosts at the Bougainvillea Guesthouse in North Nicosia, who greeted me with a plate of these when I checked in, tired and weary, after an international flight.

The key to Yasmin Khan’s excellent chana masala? Chickpeas so soft that they melt in your mouth.

Hot yogurt soup? Yes, hot yogurt soup. It’s creamy, savory comfort in a bowl.

In this dish from southeastern Turkey, chewy, nutty bulgur meets sour-sweet pomegranate molasses meets spicy Aleppo-style pepper meets crunchy-cool lettuce cups.

Tangy sour cherries meet sweet and pillowy cheesecake in the ultimate spring-to-summer dessert.

Istanbul is famous for its grilled mackerel sandwiches dressed with fresh lemon and plenty of crunchy veg—best eaten while strolling along the Bosporus, but equally delicious at a cookout or picnic.

Did somebody say fried cheese? Halloumi drizzled with honey and aromatic thyme makes for an ideal sweet-salty-crunchy appetizer.

The salad works best with strips of Persian flatbread, but plain tortillas work just as well. The addition of golpar, with its citrusy aroma, really lifts this dish, accentuating the sweetness of the pomegranates and adding a wonderful depth of flavor, so try and track some down if you can.

This saffron-infused, vegetarian version of the traditional savory Iranian rice cake is made with earthy portobello mushrooms and meaty eggplants.