Middle East

Tandoori-style Harissa Chicken Drumsticks
Tandoori-style Harissa Chicken Drumsticks

Tandoori-style Harissa Chicken Drumsticks excerpted from Persiana Easy by Sabrina Ghayour. Photography copyright © Kris Kirkham 2025

Persiana Easy by Sabrina Ghayour

Brand-new recipes from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Persiana and Persiana Everyday

A fresh collection of inspiring recipes from the bestselling Middle Eastern chef, each designed to be as easy and approachable as possible.

The hotly anticipated Persiana Easy brings together the irresistible flavours of the Middle East with simple, accessible cooking. From midweek meals and traybakes to pastries and desserts, these recipes are made to delight family and friends time and again.

Contents include

Dips, Snacks and Light Bites
Sweet Potato, Basil and Feta Dip
Crispy Za’atar Salt and Pepper Prawns
Popcorn Halloumi

Bread and Pastry
Turkish Pide Bread
Easy Bake Bagels(ish)
Fig, Goat Cheese, Thyme and Honey Rolls

Salads
Smoked Aubergine Salad with Pickled Chillies and Feta
Duck and Pomegranate Salad with Honey Pomegranate Sauce
Broad Bean, Pea, Orange and Goats Cheese Salad

Midweek Meals
Lamb Kofta Patties with Yogurt and Burnt Orange
Butterflied Orange Paprika Butter Chicken
Shish Kebab

Comfort Food
Turkish Lentil Soup
Couscous Royale with Spiced Lamb Shanks
Orange Spiced Pork with Charred Spring Onions and Pineapple

Roasts and Traybakes
Spiced Saffron Chicken Kebabs
Tray-baked Harissa Lamb Chops
Baked Meatballs with Tomato, Harissa and Feta

Vegetables and Side Dishes
Hot and Sour Green Beans
Mashed Chickpeas with Spice Oil
Stuffed Baby Peppers with Date Couscous and Feta

Sweet Treats
Citrus and Spice Almond Tart
Bokaj
Apple Borek (more…)

IRAQI YELLOW SPICE–RUBBED CHICKEN
Iraqi Yellow Spice–Rubbed Chicken excerpted from Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook: More than 1,000 of the world's best recipes for today's kitchen by The editors of Saveur magazine. Photography by Maxime Iattoni.

Iraqi Yellow Spice–Rubbed Chicken excerpted from Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook: More than 1,000 of the world’s best recipes for today’s kitchen by The editors of Saveur magazine. Photography by Maxime Iattoni.

Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook: More than 1,000 of the world's best recipes for today's kitchen by The editors of Saveur magazine

From the editors of America’s favourite culinary magazine, Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook features more than 1000 well-curated global recipes in an essential collection for home cooks everywhere. This masterful selection celebrates the brand’s authority, heritage, and depth of worldwide culinary knowledge in what will become an indispensable and treasured guide for everyone who relishes authentic cooking and Saveur’s standard of excellence.

Offering authentic, from-the-source recipes for virtually every type of dish (from tapas and cocktails to salads, dumplings, one pot meals, and more), essential techniques, and practical advice, this thorough collection of recipes from the pages of Saveur represents a comprehensive foundation for any home cook looking for a go-to guide—and daily inspiration—from a trusted source. Also includes suggested menus for holidays and occasions; illustrative sidebars that showcase groups of ingredients (such as the Mexican pantry, different varieties of tomatoes, what makes a good tagine) or provide easy-to-follow instructions for techniques (like how to crimp a dumpling or fold an empanada); and two sections of gorgeous full-colour photographs that bring the cuisine to life.

The 16 chapters are organized by course and food type. A robust selection of pantry basics (DIY condiments, stocks and sauces, spice blends and rubs, and more) is also included. Each recipe includes a headnote (explaining the origin of the dish, offering suggestions for perfecting the method, or a serving suggestion) and there are illustrations and cook’s notes, imparting helpful tips (wear gloves when working with hot chiles, use young ginger for the best flavour) scattered throughout the book. Icons call out vegetarian dishes and other helpful information at a glance. Multiple indexes make it easy to find recipes for any occasion. (more…)

Tza-zikki
Tza-zikki

Tza-zikki excerpted from Eat Small Plates: Vibrant, Shareable Dishes for Daily Joy by Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov. Copyright © 2025 Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Eat Small Plates: Vibrant, Shareable Dishes for Daily Joy by Ben Siman-Tov and Zikki Siman Tov.

The dynamic couple behind @BenGingi share their favourite mix-and-match-ready recipes for effortless everyday dining and easy hosting

From a serendipitous meeting on a street corner in a tiny town in the Italian Alps to their food studio at the heart of the East Village in New York City, Ben and Zikki have been on a culinary adventure since the very moment they met. Ben’s first gift to Zikki? A half loaf of beetroot sourdough. And their first date? Zikki taught Ben to make potato varenyky, secretly prepping him to help her make 1,000 for an event the following week!

These days, with not a moment to spare, they happily host friends and family and run a sought-after catering business in New York City. Their debut cookbook, Eat Small Plates, is an ode to a style of eating at the heart of their lived experiences together: travelling, creating a family, and building beautiful lasting friendships wherever a meal can be shared. Here, they offer their favourite small plate recipes for greater joy and connection every day.

Ben’s knack for vibrant Israeli flavours and Zikki’s passion for shareable, soul-warming Ukrainian-inspired dishes combine in Eat Small Plates to create bold and exciting recipes for every dinner or gathering. With favourites such as Ben’s freshly baked Pita, Zikki’s crunchy chopped Jewelled Celery Salad, and creamy Cashew Basil dip, this ultimate hosting cheat sheet helps home cooks transform simple ingredients into beautiful, intentional dishes. Ben and Zikki share essential cooking techniques—from charring an eggplant to incorporating pickling into your daily routine—and even tips for those who don’t want to cook at all (but still want to host!). This book is a celebration of the feast-ready lifestyle, and a guide to spreading love through food. (more…)

Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip
Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip

Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip excerpted from Souk to Table: Vibrant Middle Eastern Dishes for Everyday Meals by Amina Al-Saigh. Photography © 2024 by Amina Al-Saigh.

Souk to Table: Vibrant Middle Eastern Dishes for Everyday Meals by Amina Al-Saigh

In Souk to Table, popular food blogger Amina Al-Saigh (@hungrypaprikas) is here to help you figure out dinner for your family with her easy, quick, and accessible Middle Eastern recipes, inspired by her heritage and using flavours she knows and love. She understands how busy life can get and how sometimes cooking Middle Eastern dishes can be overwhelming, but with the right know-how and the right recipes, you can serve up delicious and bold flavours and not spend all day in the kitchen!​

This homestyle cookbook gathers the best of the region—dips, condiments, salads, sides, mains, soups, stews, desserts, and drinks—using easy-to-find, fresh ingredients and delicious Arabic spices.​​ In Souk to Table, you’ll find:

  • 100 easy-to-make and delicious recipes from Amina’s homeland of Iraq, as well as Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, and beyond​
  • Dinners that can be made in under an hour for easy weeknight cooking, as well as traditional dishes “worth the effort” for weekend cooking​ and hosting
  • A simpler approach to Middle Eastern cooking without sacrificing any of the authentic flavours​
  • A stunning photo accompanying every recipe​
  • How to stock your Middle Eastern kitchen

(more…)

Stuffed courgette
Stuffed courgette

Stuffed courgette excerpted from Vegetarian Arab Cuisine by Ruth Salem Sader. Photography by João Farkas.

Vegetarian Arab Cuisine by Ruth Salem Sader

Vegetarian Arab Cuisine by Ruth Salem Sader is a culinary journey that brings the rich flavours of Middle Eastern cooking to the vegetarian table. As the granddaughter of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants, Sader was immersed in the aromatic world of Middle Eastern spices and dishes from a young age. Her personal transition to vegetarianism led her to explore and adapt traditional recipes, resulting in a collection that honours authentic flavours while catering to plant-based diets.

The cookbook offers a diverse array of recipes, encompassing pastes, yogurts, salads, stews, egg-based dishes, desserts, and beverages. Notable recipes include:​

  • Lebanese Tabbouleh​

  • Escarole in Olive Oil 

  • Stuffed courgettes

  • Rice with Lentils 

  • Fried Falafel Balls 

  • Dried Apricot Candies with Almonds​

  • Turkish Coffee with Cardamom

(more…)

Allspice Chicken with Herby Bulgur-stuffed Tomatoes
Allspice Chicken with Herby Bulgur-stuffed Tomatoes

Allspice Chicken with Herby Bulgur-stuffed Tomatoes excerpted from Lugma: Abundant Dishes And Stories From My Middle East by Noor Murad. Photography Matt Russell.

Lugma: Abundant Dishes And Stories From My Middle East by Noor Murad

“I adore this book. It’s personal, beautifully written – Noor’s voice draws you in and holds you there – and the recipes are absolutely glorious.” – Diana Henry

“There’s an incredible generosity to Noor’s cooking, capturing the spirit of so many cooks across the Middle East: bold gestures, big flavours, whole universes of food around a single table. Noor is also a unique talent; her cooking reflects the essence of home comfort, plus an unmatched innovative palate.” – Yotam Ottolenghi

In Lugma, Noor offers over 100 recipes as an ode to the food she grew up eating—traditional flavours and modern dishes from Bahrain, the surrounding Middle East, and beyond.

Lugma in Arabic means a bite. For Noor, as a chef and co-author of two Ottolenghi Test Kitchen cookbooks, her career has been centered around taking bites of food and analyzing them to create the perfect dish. Raised in Bahrain and now based in London, Noor takes you on a culinary journey to celebrate her own food culture. Her recipes are inspired by the foods of her upbringing: the elaborate rice dishes and black limes of the Gulf, an abundance of herbs and sour flavours from Iran, liberal spice and chilli heat from India, and the vibrant foods of the Levant—to create a unique collection of traditional and re-imagined dishes from the Middle East.

From Spring Time Fattoush and Stuffed Baby Aubergines to Slow-cooked Fenugreek Lamb with Pickled Chillies and Pistachio Cake with Labneh, these beautiful and inspirational recipes are full of love and warmth to be recreated in your own kitchen.

(more…)

Sumac-Roasted Eggplant with Maple Tahini Drizzle
Sumac-Roasted Eggplant with Maple Tahini Drizzle

Sumac-Roasted Eggplant with Maple Tahini Drizzle excerpted from Plant Magic by Desiree Nielsen. Copyright © 2024 Desiree Nielsen. Photography and illustrations by Gabriel Cabrera.

Plant Magic by Desiree Nielsen. Copyright © 2024 Desiree Nielsen. Photography and illustrations by Gabriel Cabrera. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

In Plant Magic, Desiree shares approachable ways to incorporate plants into your meals, along with how to dial up your pantry and tricks for coaxing the best out of simple foods like beans, grains, and vegetables. Plant-based cooking doesn’t have to be expensive, time consuming, or restrictive.

Whether you’re craving morning things, stuff on bread, one pot (or pan) dishes, salads, tasty noodles, really good sweets, or everyday tonics and potions, Plant Magic makes cooking and eating joyful. Full of tips and tricks, stories and easy ingredient swap-outs, Desiree shares delicious recipes for some of your favourite dishes that just happen to be plant-based. Celebrate the joy and pleasure of eating well and enjoying nourishing food.

Get ready to make Earl Grey Breakfast Loaf; An Easy, Cozy Lasagna; Lemony Chickpea and Potato Stew; Cumin Lime Black Bean Burgers; Sunshine Panzanella; Black Olive and Za’atar Focaccia; Tempeh Nachos; Rocky Road Blender Brownies; Carrot Cake with Cashew Frosting; and Hibiscus Lemonade.

Featuring gorgeous photography throughout, Plant Magic shows you just how delicious plant-based food can be and that sometimes, healthy eating looks like a kale salad and sometimes, it looks like cake. (more…)

Garam Masala Beef Keftas
Garam Masala Beef Keftas

Garam Masala Beef Keftas excerpted from Good Food, Good Mood: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Support Mind and Body Wellness by Tamara Green and Sarah Grossman. Photography by Daniel Alexander Skwarna.

Good Food, Good Mood: 100 Nourishing Recipes to Support Mind and Body Wellness by Tamara Green and Sarah Grossman.

Can what you eat actually affect your mood? The short answer is YES. Discover how to eat to reduce stress, boost energy, help focus, instill calm, and improve sleep. In Good Food, Good Mood, you’ll learn that by eating better you can feel better too.

There are many pieces to the mental wellness puzzle, and in their second cookbook, certified nutritionists Tamara Green and Sarah Grossman focus on one element that you can control: food. By taking you through the latest science, in clear, digestible bites, they provide key takeaways that you can implement into your daily life to help you support your mood through food. Inside, you’ll discover how to:

  • Understand the Basics: Learn how to make better food choices that will support your mental health—without completely cutting out sweets or grasping for other “quick-fix” solutions.
  • Empower Yourself: At a glance, each recipe identifies the mood and nutrient benefits you may experience with that specific dish, including balancing blood sugar, providing protein, delivering healthy fats, supplying fiber, and more.
  • Take Action: Apply this knowledge to your daily meal planning with over 100 recipes spanning Breakfasts, Snacks, Mains, Sides, Desserts, and Drinks.
  • Eat for Your Mood: Depending on your needs, snack on Easy Seedy Flax Crackers to help balance blood sugar and enhance focus; enjoy Ribboned Carrot Slaw with Miso Sesame Vinaigrette to help ease anxiety by supporting gut health; and feast on Crispy Turmeric Chicken Thighs for a protein-rich meal to create feel-good neurotransmitters.

(more…)

Traditional Chickpea Falafel Pockets
Traditional Chickpea Falafel Pockets

Traditional Chickpea Falafel Pockets excerpted from Falafel: Delicious recipes for Middle Eastern-style patties, plus sauces, pickles, salads and breads by Dunja Gulin.

Falafel: Delicious recipes for Middle Eastern-style patties, plus sauces, pickles, salads and breads by Dunja Gulin

Falafel are deep-fried balls or patties of chickpea or fava beans, with added herbs, spices, onion, garlic and are widely eaten across the Middle East. While the style varies from region to region, they are usually eaten in a wrap or pitta with salad, tahini, pickles, and a spicy sauce.

In North America, prior to the 70s, falafel was found only in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Jewish neighbourhoods and restaurants. Today, the dish is a common and popular street food in many cities throughout America. It’s not hard to see why: they also fall into that wondrous overlapping category of being crave-worthy and satisfying, as well as nutritious and fairly low in fat. What’s more, they are a brilliant source of protein for those who don’t eat meat. They are also rich in fiber, and often made with added vegetables, nuts and seeds, or grains, as are many of the delicious recipes in this book.

Try the Fennel & Lemon Scented Falafel or Juicy Brown Rice Faux-lafel. Find Crunchy Sesame Falafel or Falafel Croquettes or enjoy snacks such as tasty Mediterranean Seed Falafel, all packed with good stuff, and very low fat. Whip up a drizzle such as Home-made Tahini Sauce as the perfect complement to your hot, freshly cooked patties. Finally, make tangy quick pickles, crisp herby salads, and easy flatbreads so you can serve your freshly cooked falafel with all the trimmings and enjoy it as its best. (more…)

Blender Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake
Blender Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake

Blender Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake excerpted from Yalla, Let’s Eat! by Maha Kailani. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photography by Saleme Fayad.

Yalla, Let’s Eat! by Maha Kailani. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Saleme Fayad.

Making your favourite Arab dishes is easier than ever with this contemporary guide to effortless Middle Eastern cooking from Maha Kailani, creator of Make Delicious Happen. These showstopping recipes honour all the vibrant flavours of traditional Arab cuisine but use quick shortcuts and helpful appliances like the Instant Pot® and Air Fryer to cut down on prep and cook time. Breeze through incredible yet simplified recipes such as:

  • Flavour Bomb One-Pot Chicken Kabseh
  • Skillet Beef Shawarma
  • Dawood Basha (Syrian- Style Kofta Meatballs and Pomegranate Potato Casserole)
  • Quick Palestinian Msakhan Rolls
  • Traditional Tangy Tabbouleh
  • Classic Lebanese Fattoush
  • Cheat Baba Ghanouj
  • Deconstructed Makdoos on Flatbread
  • Labneh Toast with Za’atar, Mint and Honey
  • Blender Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake
  • 30-Minute Knafeh Skillet (more…)