I wish I could start this introduction by saying that I am finally fulfilling my life-long dream of writing a cookbook. That ever since I was a little girl, I was in the kitchen, cooking and dreaming of one day sharing my food with the world. But that's not my story at all...
The Blurb
Enrich your weeknight meals with 100 easy-to-make, traditional and modern Middle Eastern dishes filled with bold spices and exquisite flavors.
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 flavors 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 flavors 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 flavors
A stunning photo accompanying every recipe
How to stock your Middle Eastern kitchen
Adventure across the Middle East every night of the week through accessible recipes with Souk to Table as your guide.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1631069765
Publisher: Rock Point
Formats: e-book and hardback
No. of Pages: 256 (hardback)
My Thoughts
It is difficult to write anything about the Middle East at the moment, with even a hint of positivity. Every time we switch on our televisions, radio or news apps we are confronted with the awful situation that is playing out over there.
However, I am delighted to be able to tell you about this book of Middle Eastern cookery is joyful to read. I encourage you to peruse the gorgeous photographs and indulge in the aromas and flavours that the author describes.
The book begins with her telling us of her childhood in Iraq and Libya, before moving with her family to Canada. She paints an evocative picture of the foods which her mother would produce for the family. What the author does in this book is to take those dishes and make them suitable for producing in the busyness of the modern world.
There are sections in the book which take either thirty or sixty minutes to produce. There are also chapters on condiments and dips, desserts and drinks, salads and sides, soups and stews, as well as a chapter on recipes that are worth spending extra time over. She also details what can be found in her Middle Eastern pantry.
As a fan of Middle Eastern food, there are so many recipes in this book that I cannot wait to try. There is a wonderful Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma recipe in the 30 minute section, Kofta Bil Tahini (Baked Kofta with Tahini) in the 60 minute section and in the Dessert chapter Iraqi Churag (Sweet Buns.) At the time of writing this review I am not at home. However, once I am back in my own kitchen I shall be trying out these recipes.
About the Author
Amina had a career as a engineer before giving it up to devote time to her food blog https://www.hungrypaprikas.com/. From this grew this book, Souk to Table. Amina currently lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.
(ARC courtesy of NetGalley)
(author media courtesy of Hungry Paprikas)
(all opinions are my own)
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