Any recommendations for a good Middle-Eastern/Lebanese cookery book?

[DarrellRivers]

I need a book with clear instructions and really really really tasty recipes
Any recommendations?

I think the Moro one is supposed to be good.

My contributor to my Middle Eastern cooking threads Janeite
Are we the only fans on Mumsnet?
I have the second Moro cookbook and it was ok
Not fabulous really though

Claudia Roden's - Tamarind and Saffron is good. There's a new Middle Eastern one out atm - will look up as I want it myslef

I would deffo recommend you looking at Madhur J too. Her World Vegetarian has loads of Middle Eastern stuff.

This wasn't what I was looking for but looks good

Yes, was trying to get my MIL to get the World Vegetarian cook book for me for Christmas
But she is from Delhi, hence my suspicions as to how good her Middle Eastern cooking is
Now I have heard of Claudia Roden, that looks interesting
So you would recommend 'Tamarind and Saffron' then?

Mil or Madhur?

I haven't cooked a duff recipe from World Vegetarian - scout's honour!

Yes, yes, yes re T&S. Am still looking for the one I saw in the Guardian recently...

Ottolenghi cookbook and Plenty

I want both books very,very badly

I got this one recently and it is great.

Madhur's book is good (as other posters say) but far better is Arto Der Haroutunian's Vegetarian Dishes (or other stuff by him which has meat in and I don't have).

He was an Armenian but there is a lot of Middle Eastern, Turkish, Iranian recipes and it's easy and tasty. (I like Yotam Ottolenghi, but his recipes always have 50 ingredients and take hours to make. And I have no time! Same result seems to be achieved with less fuss in the Haroutunian book.)

MIL from Amritsar MJ, Delhi

Thankyou, Ottolenghi and Plenty look great.
If you could only get one, which one would you go for?

This is the one I think - Silvena Rowe Looks gorgeous

I've got this one:

www.goodreads.com/book/show/1218773.Flavours_of_the_Levant_Home_Cooking_from_Lebanon_Syria_and_Turke y

She has other books as well. I've not cooked much from this book but it does have a lot of good recipes in it

A book which I think is far more authentic is:

www.amazon.com/Lands-Figs-Olives-Delicious-Unusual/dp/1566561590

This is a lot closer to what I've seen cooked in Syria - my DH is Syrian

I can help with some recipes if you like but am not an expert as I have learnt from my MIL, but she sadly passed away last year

not sure what happened with the big space there!!

pussin,
Thanks for those
I know about the authentic thing.
My MIL has helped me to cook proper Indian cuisine now, and I can see some Indian cookbooks like Anjum Anand, Vicky Bhojal cook the same way
Others are just 'easy' versions and are a little bit confused in their provenance

Love Ottolenghi and Arabesque by Claudia Roden

Now that I've tasted a lot of Syrian food, I prefer to just be in the kitchen and watch what they are doing - I've learnt much more that way than with books but that aside, From the Land of Figs and Olives is bloody good!

I can suggest some good dishes for you to try if you like - what is your food preference eg meat, veggie etc

Yes, for that I would need some relatives
Have got the whole Indian thing sewn up, but am lacking on the Middle Eastern side
Don't tell my ILs , but I'm sure I lived in the region in a previous life

We eat mainly chicken, occasional lamb, and eat veggie on Tuesdays.
Recommended dishes sound great, thankyou

Darrell - cat me with your address and I'll photocopy some recipes from my land of Figs and Olives book and post to you - be easier than typing them all out

I'm not a troll - have met Riven quite a few times and she's Royalty so

I'll cat you, just need to update my subscription

And thanks

No worries - I take it from your nick you read Malory Towers in your 'yoof'...as did I along with St Clares

Am branching out from lashings of ginger beer and cake

and midnight feasts

I loved those books but if I re-read them now, I find them quite un-pc and Gwendoline Mary is obviously a closet lesbian

Pussin, I've reserved land of figs and olives from the library
Tell me which recipes I need to copy for posterity
Now I don't need to renew my CAT for a bit!