Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East & Beyond

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Iran boasts dozens of versions of meatballs and we Persians love adding fruit to them for a burst of sweetness. I often make these meatballs for guests, with a good homemade sauce, which makes the perfect base to plunge them into. You can buy sour cherries frozen or dried, both sweetened and unsweetened. Sweetened sour cherries work best for this recipe, but you can substitute dried cranberries instead. I keep this cake on a plate covered with clingfilm and find it can be kept like this for up to a week.

There were so many great looking desserts to choose from, but I settled on the Cinnamon and Citrus Almond Pastry Cigars. Ghayour adapted this recipe from the traditional M’hencha (Moroccan Berber coiled pastry). She created single serving rolls that are easier to assemble. Crisp phyllo rolls are filled with ground almonds seasoned with cinnamon, rosewater, orange, and lime. Middle Eastern food can be heavy and plentiful, so you need to pair it with light, refreshing dishes that cleanse the palate and aid digestion. This is just that kind of dish – it is a perfect accompaniment to heavy meat and poultry dishes, providing a lovely fresh flavour – and it looks beautiful, too. The lightly sweetened dressing works well, counteracting the acidity, and I just love the intense crunchiness of this salad.With this stunning collection of approachable Middle Eastern recipes, the author dispels the notion that Persian, Turkish, Arab, and Armenian cuisines are too complicated for home cooks. In six chapters overflowing with photos of vibrantly sauced and garnished foods, she presents small plates, breads, salads, desserts, and other dishes that can be served individually or as part of a feast. VERDICT: In a word, outstanding"

Preheat a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Fill the pan with boiling water and add the rice with a generous handful of crumbled sea salt. Boil for 6-8 minutes until the rice is parboiled. You will know it is parboiled when the colour of the grains turns from the normal dullish white to a more brilliant white and the grains become slightly elongated and begin to soften. An award-winning cookbook from the beloved Sabrina Ghayour, Persiana features over 100 flavorful and mouthwatering recipes that highlight the best of Persian culture This dish is more than just a simple broth – it is a wonderfully hearty meal and offers a great way of using up vegetables. There are no rules – it should contain whatever you find lying around the house and in your fridge.

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Sabrina Ghayour; the talented chef, food writer and instructor offers over 100 delicious and relatively easy to prepare Middle Eastern dishes in this outstanding collection sure to appeal to vegetarians and carnivores in equal measure... this is an outstanding collection that will surely win readers over and inspire many a meal. Color photos. Preheat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil on one side and chargrill for about 6‑8 minutes on each side, brushing the reverse side with more oil as you turn them over, until the texture softens and they are cooked through with nice griddle marks. Set aside.