Yasmin KhanZaitoun: Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen

I am a member of a cookbook book club and this was our q3 pick for this year. The cookbooks picked are always adventurous for us and are definitely opening up my food world view.I made the roasted potatoes (which admittedly isn't necessarily out of my comfort zone, those were more because they were super easy and I had all of the ingredients on hand already) and the Mtabaq which turned out amazing and was so good!! The variety of dishes at our book club meeting were awesome and everybody left so stuffed and took leftovers (didn't get to take any of my Mtabaq home after but that's okay, just means I have to make it again).I'm super excited to have this one on my shelf now because there were are many recipes that I want to try!

Nice to have book about Palestinian food while living in Palestine, discovered many new dishes to cook for my Palestinian family.

From simple to complex, this book offers recipes with flavors that distinguish Palestinian cuisine from its neighboring cultures. The author takes you on an exciting journey that will spark your curiosity and wet your appetite in ways that few other recipe books do. Simple advice, many alternatives offered in case the authentic tools or in some cases ingredients cannot be used, leads to great results. Find your new comfort food that’s healthy and full of flavor and cooking joy. It leaves a wonderful smell in your house too!

Thank you Yasmin Khan for compiling this book of recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen. The recipes are easy to follow, aren't fussy, so healthy and super tasty. Recipes I've tried so far are the fluffy and soft Flatbreads with za'atar, Gazan Smashed Avocadoes (great change up from guacamole), Green beans with olive oil, Gazan Salad and everyday Palestinian salad (my go to fresh salads now), spicy shrimp and tomato stew, za'atar roast salmon and the house favorite - Gazan Lentils with Swiss Chard and tahini ( with an over abundance of Swiss Chard in our garden I make this without the lentils - it's so creamy delicious). Can't wait to try more recipes. Thank you and a huge thank you to all the wonderful Palestinian home chefs who shared their recipes. This book is a keeper - a celebration of Palestinian cooking !!!! IMHO this cookbook surpasses Jerusalem (Ottolenghi/Tamimi).

I've made about 6 recipes in this book so far. Some have been appetizers and some have been star entrees. The dishes featured in this book have tasted wonderful. In addition, I've got to praise the clarity of instructions as well as the fun and interesting back stories and descriptions provided with each dish.I mostly make Asian or American food at home so each time I use this book it's a fun and tasty adventure. If you're looking to mix up your routine or you're curious about Palestinian food, this is definitely worth buying.

I received this cookbook as a gift. Zaitoun is part cookbook, part travelogue, with a good balance between the two. Personalities and dishes from Bethlehem, Gaza, Nablus, and elsewhere in the region are highlighted. The food photography is very well done. You'll want to start cooking to replicate the vibrant colors of the dishes. The author describes the ongoing challenges faced by many of the residents, and explains how they have adapted their cooking despite hardship.As far as the cuisine goes, it's delicious and easily achievable for the weekday home cook. The dishes are bold and flavorful, and many are quite tangy; lemon, fresh herbs, and pomegranate make frequent appearances. I love sour and tangy dishes, and I had to tone down the amount of lemon or sumac in some dishes because many of the recipes are pretty zippy. Sumac, za'atar, coriander, cumin, and allspice feature heavily. I love that this book contains a robust section on soup. So often cookbooks don't include enough soups! There is a nice balance between meat-based and vegetarian dishes, and there are plenty of the latter. Some less common ingredients (freekeh, maftoul, kashk cheese, labneh) may not be found in your local Giant or Kroger, but any well-sized international or Middle Eastern grocery store will probably stock them.However tasty the dishes themselves, there is one thing for me that detracts from an otherwise enjoyable cookbook. In several recipes, different methods of measurement are used, rather inconsistently. For example, the recipe for fattoush calls for: "4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil," "6 tbsp/20g finely chopped parsley leaves," and "2.5 oz/75g feta cheese." I find this rather annoying. I don't know how much feta constitutes 2.5 oz off the top of my head (I could break out my kitchen scale, but I'd rather not dig in the basement to find it). Why not tell us how many tablespoons of feta we should use (or cups), to be consistent with the other ingredient quantities, and list the number of ounces alongside? The recipe for tabbouleh does the same thing: "1/3 cup bulgur wheat," "5 oz parsley leaves," "1 oz mint leaves." I own other cookbooks that list quantities in grams (Andy Ricker's PokPok is one example), which I can understand, if precision is key to executing the dish. But be consistent about it.

I purchased this book after reading a number of positive reviews. It has become one of our go-to cookbooks. The recipes are simple enough for weeknights, with a few exceptions. We have enjoyed fish, vgetarian dishes, and soups from the book. (I have not tried any of the desserts yet.) The recipes are well written and use ingredients which are obtainable in the US. Occasionally we have had to substitute a different fish, but that does not seem to be a problem. It is well edited and provides insights into the regional cooking of Palestine. I have recommended it to a number of friends.