Bazella is a classic Lebanese dish that is traditionally made with beef or lamb mince. It is flavored with aromatic spice blend called Baharat. This is a hearty and comforting dish to serve with rice.
How to make Vegetarian Bazella
To make this prominently meat based dish vegetarian, the meat needs to be substituted with plant-based protein. There are plenty of vegetarian/ vegan substitutes in the market right now that can be used in this recipe. Here are few of my favorite options:
Soy Granules aka TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) - usually found in bulk bins in health food stores.Meatless Ground beef - I have used Gardein, Morning star (veggie crumbles), Yves brands and like them all.Impossible beef/ Beyond Meat etc. - are the newest plant based meats in the market now.
This recipe is adapted from SBS Lebanese Stew.
Baharat Spice Mix:
Baharat literally means ‘Spices’ in Arabic. It is basically a blend of spices. It is similar to garam masala in India and the spices used change with the region and household. This is an all purpose seasoning used in the Middle Eastern cuisine. Baharat is an aromatic blend of warm and sweet spices. This spice blend adds a nice warmth and lot of flavor to the dish. For this recipe I used the following ground spices to make up the blend:
Allspice Pepper Cumin Coriander Cinnamon Ground Nutmeg
You can either make this at home (recipe included) or you can use store-bought one. Look for them at spice stores or online. Here is a Baharat spice blend that I really loved.
Ingredients
Here are the other ingredients you need to make this hearty and comforting stew:
vegetarian substitute - I used TVP. I have mentioned other plant based alternatives for you to pick from.onion, garlic carrotgreen peastomato pastevegetable broth/ water
Instructions
This is a delicious Lebanese stew that is easy to make.
If you are making the ‘baharat spice blend’, then start by making that. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Then, prep your choice of plant-based meat. If you are using dried TVP, then you need to reconstitute it. Add hot water to TVP and set aside for 10~15 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Set aside until ready to use.
Heat olive oil and butter in a pan. Add onions, garlic and carrots to the pan and saute till onions are lightly browned around edges.Add the baharat spice mix and mix well to combine.
Next add the choice of protein or veggie/ bean substitute and saute till lightly browned.Stir in tomato paste, salt and veggie stock (or water). Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for all the flavors to mingle.
Finally stir in the green peas and simmer for 2~3 minutes to heat them through. Serve hot!!
How to Serve
It is traditionally served with vermicelli laced rice pilaf (recipe included below). Cooking the pilaf in butter and olive oil gives it a nice buttery flavor that goes very well with the stew. But it can be served with rice or yogurt flatbread. I made it for lunch on a cold day and it was very hearty and filling.
Tips & Suggestions
If you don’t want to be bothered with all the fake meats out there, then here are a few options:
Chickpeas or White beans (cannellini or navy beans) coarsely mashed.Cauliflower rice - process cauliflower florets until nice and fine.Bulgur wheat - adds hearty texture to the dish.
Leftover Stew
This stew recipe is great to serve warm or at room temperature. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 1 month. Few more Lebanese dishes that you might enjoy:
Vegetarian MoussakaMujadara (Rice & Lentil dish)Namoura (Dessert made with Semolina)
