The Complete Middle East Cookbook

by Tess Mallos

Offers exotic and unusual recipes from the relatively unknown cuisines of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Iran, and Afghanistan as well as from Greece, Turkey, Syria, Cyprus, and Lebanon

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Middle East, Reference

374 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1980

Reviews

[Nick Grammos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before cook books became celebrity vehicles, low on practical value and high on spin, there were cookbooks like Tess Mallos' Middle Eastern Cookbook. The recipes all work. Tess is consistent in her explanations of cuisines and ingredients. Almost encyclopaedic, but not too pedantic. The recipes all work. My pantry was filled with all the odds and sods that formed the palette of ingredients that the latitude produces. There are some real gems in this book, too. Machbous al dajaj, spiced chicken and rice from the Gulf States will make you swoon. After 25 years I still make it for new visitors. The Egyptian falafel is brilliant along with the tahina salad. The Greek pastitsio is the best I've ever had - yes even my mother was good at it and the Turkish and Lebanese dishes are wonderful across the board. And guess what, the food is especially healthy!

[Zaynaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of this book for years now- I borrowed an older copy from my aunt and used it so much I ended up buying a more current edition (so my cousin could have her mother's copy back). This is an excellent introduction to the Middle Eastern cuisines. I've tried several recipes from all the chapters and haven't had a failure yet. This book introduced me to a couple of recipes that are firm favorites (like lubia bi zeit and aush) and my go to picnic dish- the batata kibbeh recipe. It includes recipes from cuisines which don't receive as much attention as the more well known food traditions of Greece, Turkey and Lebanon. I'm particularly enamored of the section on Armenian food which was a revelation to me. This book was kind of my gateway drug when it comes to a lot of these cuisines- I've gone on to buy books that deal more intensively with one cuisine or another. I still reach for this often though because the recipes are just good.

One interesting thing though, the older copy my aunt owned included a chapter of Israeli recipes that seems to have been removed from later editions. The only reason I can think of (other than ominous political conspiracy) is that these recipes were a bit out of date compared to what is popular in Israel now, or that they used quite different ingredients to the other chapters. Still, I hope future editions will rectify this and include Israel's cuisine again.

[archie]

i’ve only tried one recipe from this book so far & it was the melomakarona cookies, they took way longer than i anticipated but it was very worth it & the time spent baking them makes them even more enjoyable! i’m excited to try more dessert recipes & want to try some entrees as well :-)

i like how the book is broken up into the different countries/regions of the middle east with subcategories for each region as opposed to clumping all these distinct flavors together into one

[Natashya KitchenPuppies · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Complete Middle Eastern Cookbook is a comprehensive course on Middle Eastern cooking and flavours, divided by region. It is big and beautiful and packed with all the information and delicious recipes you need to master Middle Eastern cooking in your own home. Originally published in 1977, it has become the go-to bible on Mid East cuisine. Prepare to wake up your tastebuds!

See my full review here - http://livinginthekitchenwithpuppies....

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This continues to be one of my go to cookbooks for cooking the cuisines ranging from Greece to Lebanon to Iran to Afghanistan, and the countries in between. Tess Mallos does a phenomenal job of showcasing dishes across the countries so one can see the common spices & ingredients in dishes between countries as well as those recipes that are unique to the specific country in each chapter. The recipes are straightforward to follow with clear steps, in some cases color pictures, and most of all, her recipes always turn out well. I highly recommend this cookbook!

[Jenine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book years ago, and have barely scratched the surface. There are loads of recipes in it from many countries, and it's interesting to see how many recipes are similar but with each country's unique 'twist' that makes them unique.

[Margaret Gerberding · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some basic recipes (grape leaves) and some unusual recipes (spiced shrimp and rice). I want to try the shrimp dish and the carrot pilaf!

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of recipes, sorted by country, each with a culinary introduction. I love having access to the rich middle eastern flavours. The book has a beautiful layout, complete with a glossary of terms, and the index includes the original names of dishes (e.g. samneh). Recipes are provided to create your own spice mixes, e.g. baharat for Iraqi cooking. I find I can follow the recipes relatively easily as I have most of the ingredients at hand, or can source them without problem. Highly recommended for anyone enthusiastic about 'spice travel'.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely full of recipes ranging from all over the Middle East, including spice mixes, pickles, cookies, and heavier fare. Recipes are separated by region and each region has an introduction regarding the food culture. I'm a total stranger to middle eastern cooking and this book is a fantastic introduction to the different flavors.

Many of the recipes are pretty involved (technically speaking), so I would not recommend this book for a novice cook. There are a few pictures of dishes here and there, but otherwise little to advise you on what the end product is supposed to look like.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly yummy food.
The pictures were amazing but I could never get it to look as good.
This recipe book does require a modicum of cooking skill so I suspect is more suited to better cooks than me.
It was interesting to mix it up and try something new and some will be favourites for a long time. I have to admit I avoided the tripe because I didn't like that even when made by an expert in Turkey.

[Lolla Palouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was served the Chicken with Orange at a dinner party and the very next day, based only on that dish, I bought the cookbook (1982 printing) from a local bookstore. For 40 years, this has been my most used and favorite cookbook, evident from the food-stained pages and broken spine.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Esti · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes are easy to follow, our family favorite from this book is the meatballs (kofta), super delicious !!!

[Bax]

loaned this one to the wife's cousin to get the lowdown from an enthusiastic proponent of Persian cooking.

[Barbra Quade]

Great recipes. I use this cookbook often.

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every recipe I have cooked from this book has been amazing.

[Liaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow its so big and good

[Sana Abdulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO cookbook is ever complete, especially one that covers many many countries as this one does, but this book does a pretty good job, also includes Greek, Cypriot and Armenian recipes.