• Julia on June 06, 2011

  This is one of the most goregeous of cookbooks. I am looking forward to cooking from it and posting but it is so worth just reading and studying as a beautiful tribute to history and a wonderful culture.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Ordinary Syrian flatbread (Khubz 'adi)

  • okcook on May 28, 2017

    The recipe makes 16 breads. They are really easy to make but they did not brown much even in a 530 F oven. Without the browning they did not look terribly appealing and the taste lacked depth. I browned them over an open flame on my gas oven. They have a nice soft texture....not chewy like a pita. I have a better recipe for this kind of bread which are cooked in a frying pan.

• Sesame spread (Tehineh)

  • okcook on April 19, 2016

    This is a really wonderful sauce to accompany a middle eastern meal. Nice and tangy.

• Chickpea-sesame spread (Hummus)

  • okcook on March 16, 2016

    OH MY GOD! This is perfectly balanced with garlic, tahini, lemon and chill. Super smooth because one has to take the skins off the chick peas. Yes, this does take time but time well spent. Let it sit in the fridge for a few days for the flavours to meld. Make it soon if you are a hummus lover! I made the pitas from "Flatbreads" to go with. Six Stars

• Crunchy tomato, parsley, and bulgur salad with cumin (Tabbouleh)

  • swegener on June 14, 2015

    I added a cucumber and some other herbs from my garden--basil, oregano, with the mint and extra parsley.

• Zesty cold stuffed grape leaves (Yebra war einab)

  • okcook on May 28, 2017

    Pretty much tasteless. Not very tangy. They got thrown out even after all that work.

• Great Northern beans stewed in tomato sauce (Fassoulieh)

  • Siegal on February 25, 2021

    I usually double the meat when I make this as the flanken disappears to nothing. The fat from the flanken makes the beans amazing. Really simple to make in pressure cooker as well

• Braised string beans with allspice and garlic (Fawleh)

  • lkgrover on November 27, 2023

    Good green beans side dish with tomato paste & spices. I enjoy using allspice & cinnamon in savory recipes; it is warming but not sweet. I included the optional white pepper & ground cinnamon.

• Green peas and rice with coriander and meat (Bizeh b'jurah)

  • Siegal on July 07, 2013

    This dish is amazing and my favorite from this book. Suggestions: Flanken needs more cooking time - just keep simmering till tender I double the spices but mine may no be as fresh and high quality as they should be I also double the meat as I serve this as a main course

• Rice with chickpeas and onions (Riz w'hummus)

  • lkgrover on June 23, 2019

    Good rice side dish, a little sweet (from the chickpeas?) and creamy. I used jasmine rice.

• Bulgur with cheese (Burghol b'jibn)

  • lkgrover on February 09, 2026

    Terrific side dish -- could be a main dish with a salad too. I substituted Fontina cheese for Muenster (both melt easily).

• Tamarind-stewed meatballs (keftes)

  • okcook on May 28, 2017

    These are delicious when you make the tamarind paste.

• Roast chicken with crispy spaghetti (Djaj wa rishta)

  • okcook on May 28, 2017

    The taste was fine but if you cook the chicken and then take off the bone before adding it back to the dish for baking with the pasta it gets very dry.

• Grilled chicken (Farrju mashwi)

  • TrishaCP on August 03, 2020

    This was a simple but tasty marinade. I had to oven bake instead of grill due to the weather, and I’m sure I would have liked it even better had I grilled.

• Chicken, pepper, and tomato kabobs (Shish tawuq)

  • HalfSmoke on July 06, 2018

    While this recipe allows you to choose between Aleppo Pepper and red pepper flakes, I simply see no equivalence between the former and the latter. Get Aleppo Pepper and do this right. It is simple and delicious.

• Eggs scrambled with rhubarb (Beid ru'and)

  • sgump on May 09, 2016

    Truly delicious--amazingly savory! (Do try it!)

  • lkgrover on May 26, 2017

    Excellent! A surprising way to eat rhubarb with a different mix of spices. Easy preparation too.