Sabrina Ghayour, author of "Persiana One," has shared eight recipes for Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, emphasizing ease of preparation and delicious flavor. The collection includes a variety of options, from appetizers and main courses to desserts.
Among the offerings is a Watermelon Salad with Toasted Rice & Tamarind Lime Dressing, which Ghayour notes is influenced by Thai salads. The recipe calls for toasted basmati or jasmine rice, ground to a coarse sand consistency, to be added to a salad of watermelon, shallots, spring onions, mint, and coriander, all tossed in a dressing of lime zest and juice, sugar, pul biber chili flakes, tamarind paste, soy sauce, and olive oil.
Another featured recipe is Feta & Herb Yogurt Dip, a variation on the Persian dish maast o moosir. This dip combines thick Greek yogurt with finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, crumbled feta cheese, lemon or lime zest, mint, dill, and pul biber chili flakes. The yogurt is mixed with garlic and seasoning, then allowed to sit for 30 minutes to soften the garlic's intensity before feta, herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil are added.
Ghayour also presents a "Lazy Curried Cheese Mutabaq Toastie," a folded parcel made with puff pastry filled with feta, cheddar cheese, spring onions, coriander, chili flakes, and curry powder. These are pan-fried until golden and crisp.
For dessert, the Vanilla Cheesecake with Lime, Black Pepper, Cherries & Berries is highlighted. This no-bake cheesecake features a digestive biscuit base and a creamy filling topped with fresh strawberries, cherries, and blueberries, enhanced with lime zest and black pepper.
The Sticky Honey, Lime & Harissa Sausage Meatballs recipe is described as a quick and flavorful dish, suitable for serving in baguettes or with rice. The meatballs are fried until browned and then coated in a glaze made from honey, rose harissa, lime juice, and salt.
An Aubergine & Sweet Potato Kari offers a vegan traybake option. The recipe combines aubergine and sweet potato chunks, roasted and then coated in a sauce made from coconut cream, peanut butter, rose harissa, and tamarind paste.
A Passion Fruit, Lime & Coconut Cake is also included, noted for its moist texture and ease of preparation. The cake is topped with a glaze made from passion fruit pulp and apricot jam.
Finally, the Khoresh e Aloo, a plum stew, is presented with a twist using fresh plums and chicken. The recipe involves sautéing onions and herbs, then cooking chicken with turmeric and tomato purée before adding plums and simmering until tender.
These recipes are featured in Ghayour's book, "Persiana One," with photographs by Kris Kirkham. The book is published by Mitchell Beazley.