Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen Hardcover – 12 July 2018

Beautiful pictures, lovely recipes. I received this as a gift, but have bought it as a gift for others as well.

I have never written a review before but this book hands down deserves one. As someone who enjoys to cook I do not often spend money on recipe books as I think it is silly to spend £20 or so pounds on a book from which you will find one or two recipes which you will make repeatedly and prefer, most of the time to simply find new things to try out online. This book though is a whole other story.Middle Eastern food is a cuisine which I enjoy anyway but this book has provided some really eye opening recipes as well as beautiful extracts of the authors travels in Palestine and the history of the dishes and the people who make them. We have tried five or six recipes now and all of them have been DELICIOUS. We mostly eat vegetarian/vegan and this book caters for that brilliantly as well as offering some meaty options. Even my sister who is a pretty fussy eater and tends to enjoy plainer food has liked all of the dishes we have made - a sure sign that this book is quality! The hummus recipe is OUT OF THIS WORLD and I eat it by the spoonful. I have had to go out and buy some special ingredients such as pomegranate molasses and sumac but my gosh has it been worth it. The only recipe which did not win all out praise was the little date cookies but that was due only to the fact that they were heavily rosy which is not a flavour that we all love however, my mum who does like it, loved them and I can't wait to try out more of the sweeter dishes.I cannot sing this books praises enough - if you are looking for some new cooking inspiration please try this book! It will liven up your dinner times and introduce you to a beautiful new world of flavours!

The book that has amazing recipes and I can say it is the best recipes book of my collection! However the text of the recipes in the entire book looks like it was printed with a printer running out of ink. Text is fade making it difficult to read.

I was recommended this by a friend and am a convert! It's beautifully presented with interesting stories about the region. The recipes are great, inspiring and look good but are quite simple to make without a lot of ingredients. I also have Persiana and there is some crossover but this is a good companion. The Za'atar roast salmon with garlicky bean mash has become an immediate staple in our house. There is also a list of recipes in the index which are gluten free, or dairy free which saves time having to comb through all the ingredients in the recipes. Definitely recommend.

I bought this after seeing the author promoting it on Sunday Brunch. My favourite recipes are the falafel, hummus and flatbread, but I want to try many more! The recipes are good and easy to follow and don't require a lot of "faffy" ingredients like "the zest of a lemon" like some cookbooks do. The book itself is lovely quality and I love having it on my shelf with my other cookbooks in the kitchen. I also had never been able to get my falafel to not fall apart but the recipe in this book is the best recipe I've found but you do HAVE TO use dried chickpeas. I have tried and failed many times using tinned chickpeas and it just does not work. Listen to Yasmin, she knows what she's doing.

So happy to find this book with its wonderful recipes, I’ve bought for self and friends. I wanted to buy another copy for an elderly friend but the book has a serious flaw; why is the type so faint? She would have difficulty reading it so, regretfully, I shall have to get her some other cookery book. PLEASE reprint with a legible, black type!

This is really up there as one of the best cookbooks ever, in my opinion. The recipes are so wonderful and have revolutionised the way my family eats. The dishes we have made (especially the hummus which is worth its weight in gold) have been so vibrant and delicious. Even my daughter, who usually prefers plain foods, really enjoyed the aromatic and delicately spiced meals. This food really brings people together and celebrates under appreciated ingredients, all while being surprisingly straightforward to make. I really enjoyed following the authors stories of her travels which led to the recipes. I have learnt so much from this book- I cannot recommend it enough.

I love this book. I use recipes from it two or three times a week. Really versatile. Everything is delicious. The recipes are useful for everyday family life (my kids always love anything I make from it) but also great for a making a special weekend spread or for a dinner party. Whenever I have people round this is the book I go to. Our family roasts are now regularly Palestinian ones. There is a great mix of vegetarian, vegan and meat recipes so easy to cater for different diets. It would make a great present because of the stories and beautiful presentation.