Which countries are part of the Middle East varies depending on who you ask. From a food perspective, the flavours of Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine (the Levant), Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, The UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar (the countries of the Arabian Gulf), Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt (North Africa) all have a lot in common. The influences crosses borders to neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Xinjjiang in China, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Sudan, Somalia, Zanzibar and Greece too; as well as the Middle Eastern/Arabic influence on Malaysian and Indonesian cuisines.
Turkish Tuna ‘Meatballs’ (Balik Köftesi) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! I learnt to make Turkish köfte (meatballs) from my friend Somer Sivrioglu. Traditionally he makes them with a combination of lamb and beef, but his technique – and the secret ingredient of semolina – work just […]
Turkish Stuffed Dried Eggplant Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! Strings of hollowed small eggplants drying in the sun are a common sight in eastern Turkey. Hollowing and drying summer vegetables to store for stuffing throughout the winter is a specialty of the south-eastern town of Gaziantep. […]
Muhammara Muhammara is an easy Turkish capsicum and walnut dip that’s so delicious, you’ll be whipping it up to serve alongside everything. It’s especially good with seafood and a wonderful addition to a mezze table. I like to oven roast capsicum as the slower cooking gives a deeper flavour. But if you’re short on time, […]
Sigara Borek (Turkish Cheese & Herb Rolls) Börek filled with cheese and herbs is one of my favourite food experiences from my travels in Turkey. I remember arriving early one morning in the eastern town of Tatvan having caught the overnight ferry across Lake Van with a girlfriend. We were cold, tired and hungry and […]
Borani Laboo (Persian Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip) Borani (sometimes written burani or boorani) are Persian vegetable dips made with a tangy yoghurt base, they’re ideal for stimulating appetite and cutting through rich stews and other dishes. Spinach is commonly used and there’s a delicious eggplant version. I love the earthy flavour of this beetroot borani, […]
Persian Minced Tuna Kebabs Persians love all sorts of kebabs and these minced tuna kebabs are a great alternative to the lamb-based kabab koobideh so popular in Persian cuisine. Cooking time will depend on how thinly you roll the mince and on the heat of your grill; tuna dries out quickly, so better to undercook […]
Prawns with Persian Split Pea Sauce Prawns with Persian split pea sauce is a seafood version of the classic Persian dish, khoresh-e gheymeh, in which lamb is braised in a rich sauce with yellow split peas. For me that dish is really all about the delicious sauce, which I love with chicken, seafood, or even […]
Advieh (Persian Spice Blend) Advieh, Persian cuisine’s all-purpose spice mix, is a blend of equal quantities of earthy warm spices, with the aromatic lift of dried rose petals. Cooks usually grind up a batch from whole spices and store it in an airtight jar to have on hand for seasoning dishes from soups to stews. […]
Turkish Salmon Kebaps I love almost any sort of kebabs (or kebaps as the Turks call them) and especially when the meat or seafood has been soaked in the tangy yoghurt marinade so typical of Turkey. This marinade is most often used for chicken but works a treat with salmon too. These Turkish salmon kebaps […]
Persian Fish with Barberry Sauce This tangy barberry sauce is usually served with chicken in a traditional Persian dish called zereshk polo ba morgh, but I discovered that it works just as well with seafood. I like to use large pieces of a firm flaky white fish, such as ling, blue-eye trevalla or mahi mahi, […]
