The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking [Hardcover]

Habeeb Salloum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2010

For untold centuries, the Bedouin of the Arabian Peninsula, in their desert tents, have served their honored guests lavish meals featuring roasted lamb with rice. Arab hospitality has not changed over the ages but the cuisine has undergone a remarkable evolution in the last 100 years, making it extremely diverse. This diversity is due, in part, to the thriving petroleum industry which has drawn people—along with their foods and cooking methods—from around the world.

The blending of these culinary worlds has produced something remarkable. In The Arabian Nights Cookbook, author Habeeb Salloum has compiled an amazing array of recipes that celebrate this blending of cultures while still making it compatible with the everyday kitchens of the Western world. From the familiar, Hummus Bi-Tahini, to the unique, Stuffed Lamb, Salloum offers an accessible world of savory tastes and memory provoking aromas.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Canada-based food and travel writer Salloum (Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East & North Africa) and photographer Suan Lim collaborate to produce a beautiful cookbook of over 100 dishes, many of which are restaurant standards that fans of Arab cooking will recognize. After reviewing unusual utensils and spices that might be used in the recipes, Salloum explores basics like homemade yogurt and versatile spice mixes; appetizers, soups, and salads; entrees including kebabs, meatballs, and vegetarian dishes; and breads, drinks, and desserts. Bright and appetizing photographs accompany nearly all recipes, and complex instructions are illustrated with step-by-step photos. Salloum's extensive commentary to his recipes include historical and geographical notes, cultural and personal recollections from travels and life, and remarks about ingredients, combining to create a virtual culinary journey. Healthy diners will enjoy the free-handed use of vegetables and restrained use of butter. These are traditional recipes, however, and no alternative cooking methods are suggested for fried items like Falafel. A valuable addition to the catalog of Middle-Eastern cooking, The Arabian Nights Cookbook is comprehensive enough for the home cook without being so large as to paralyze. Illus.
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Review

"Canada-based food and travel writer Salloum and photographer Suan Lim collaborate to produce a beautiful cookbook of over 100 dishes, many of which are restaurant standards that fans of Arab cooking will recognize. [...] A valuable addition to the catalog of Middle-Eastern cooking, The Arabian Nights Cookbook is comprehensive enough for the home cook without being so large as to paralyze."—Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Hardcover with Jacket edition (October 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804841020
• ISBN-13: 978-0804841023
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #458,105 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Middle Eastern

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YUMMMMM!, February 9, 2011

By 

Judy Acuna (Ca.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking (Hardcover)

I happened to be in a bookstore after a dr.apt and of course had to check out the cookbook section. I picked this book up and glanced through it...and KNEW that I had to have it!!! The title is kind of silly...but the contents of the book are EXCELLENT!! I have been to many different restaurants throughout my dance career..thus eating quite a sampling of Middle Eastern cooking. This book is REALLY the authentic recipes of a home cook in the Arabic region. I couldn't get home fast enough to order it! I am about half way through it...and am dying to try some of the recipes!! There is no shortage of Middle Eastern cookbooks out there(I know...I think that I have most of them!)...but this book is happily a change from the sometimes "Americanized" recipes. It is hardcore... for sure!! So..I shall be off next week to pick up supplies from my Arabic store and will be testing recipes for the grand opening of my dance studio!! I make a MEAN baklava, but would like my friends to try some more diverse Middle Eastern food!! I used to cater at lots of dance events...so I know my way around some of the more challenging recipes. But this book is VERY easy to follow!! So ....buy this book! What more can I say..I LOVE it!!!! You won't be disappointed!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars only for aficionados of coriander and cumin, March 22, 2011

By 

wogan "the book reader" - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking (Hardcover)

As a cookbook for those who want to cook as modern day Arabs cook, this book would be perfect. The title alludes to Arabian Nights, so hopefully readers would realize that recipes are not going to be those of more that 100 years ago.
The recipes themselves are typical of the area, but most do contain the spices of mint or coriander or cumin. The print is not very big, but there are pictures for most of the recipes. Included are basics, such as crunchy pickled garlic and homemade plain yogurt, appetizers and snacks, salads, soups, chicken, meats, seafood, vegetarian, breads, rice and side dishes, desserts and drinks.

There is a brief but interesting segment on the diversity of modern Arab Gulf cooking, Arab hospitality and the geography. The equipment, tools and ingredients needed are shown and described. There is a resource guide to find them which has the addresses, phone numbers and web sites. There is also help in some photographic diagrams showing how to stuff and roll a grape leaves, for example.
The recipes are not that hard and would give a cook many different dishes to prepare.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful middle eastern cookbook, September 23, 2011

By 

Suzanne Tran "suzbella" (Vancouver, WA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Arabian Nights Cookbook: From Lamb Kebabs to Baba Ghanouj, Delicious Homestyle Arabian Cooking (Hardcover)

Love the book. Color pictures throughout the book. Contained alot of yummy recipes. Ingredients can be found in most US grocery. Looking forward to cooking healthy middle eastern food.