My mother's greatest fears are an empty fridge and underfed family and friends. At this time of year, that means courgettes, and the usual way I dispatch them is in a shaak (dry curry) or a pilau. Today's dish is a combination of the two: spiced fried courgettes, just shy of melted, tossed through rice with fresh herbs and served with a fancy salted pistachio yoghurt masquerading as a raita.
Many menus I browsed had lots of meat dishes and it initially looked like plant-based options would be few and far between. However, once I asked restaurant staff in person, I was surprised by how accommodating most places were.
"As Yotam Ottolenghi once said here before, a lasagne doesn't have to contain ragu and bechamel. In the broadest sense, lasagne is just a layered pasta dish using various fillings and sauces and, as such, the world is your lasagne."