Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus

by Yasmin Khan

A Finalist for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award and the 2022 IACP Award (International)
Longlisted for the 2022 Art of Eating Prize
A New York Times Best Cookbook of 2021 • A Guardian Best Food Book of 2021 • A Simply Recipes Favorite Cookbook of 2021 • A WBUR Here & Now Favorite Cookbook of 2021
The acclaimed author of Zaitoun returns with vibrant recipes and powerful stories from the islands that bridge the Mediterranean and the Middle East. For thousands of years, the eastern Mediterranean has stood as a meeting point between East and West, bringing cultures and cuisines through trade, commerce, and migration. Traveling by boat and land, Yasmin Khan traces the ingredients that have spread through the region from the time of Ottoman rule to the influence of recent refugee communities. At the kitchen table, she explores what borders, identity, and migration mean in an interconnected world, and her recipes unite around thickets of dill and bunches of oregano, zesty citrus and sweet dates, thick tahini and soothing cardamom. Khan includes healthy, seasonal, vegetable-focused recipes, such as hot yogurt soups, zucchini and feta fritters, pomegranate and sumac chicken, and candied pumpkin with tahini and date syrup. Fully accessible for the home cook, with stunning food and location photography, Ripe Figs is a dazzling collection of recipes and stories that celebrate an ever-diversifying region and imagine a world without borders. 100 illustrations

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Culinary, Greece, Travel

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 4, 2021

About the author

Yasmin Khan is a best-selling and award-winning author, broadcaster and campaigner, who is passionate about sharing people’s stories through food.

Her work sits on the intersection of food, travel and politics and her critically-acclaimed books, The Saffron Tales and Zaitoun, use everyday stories to human connection to challenge stereotypes of the Middle East.

Yasmin has worked as a presenter for BBC R4’s Food Programme and CNN’s Perfect Dish series. She is a regular media commentator, appearing on flagship programmes such as Newsnight, the Today programme and Women’s Hour, and writes for a variety of publications including the Guardian, the Telegraph, the New Statesmen, Saveur, Afar, Food52 and Roads and Kingdoms. Prior to her writing career, Yasmin trained in Law and was a human rights campaigner for a decade, running national and international campaigns on poverty and human rights.

Yasmin is also a sought after public speaker who has delivered hundreds of motivational and inspiring speeches around the world on issues relating to activism, creativity, burnout, career change and human rights in the Middle East.

Reviews

[Coepi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like it's hard to write a truly outstanding cookbook, but this certainly is one. Several of my closest friends are from the eastern Mediterranean and when they've cooked for me it's been incredible - so I was excited to read Ripe Figs, but also had high expectations. I found the recipes I hoped for, but also beautiful travel writing, an insight into the history and politics of the region, and descriptions of struggles facing refugees in Greece. The photos were gorgeous too, even more than normal for travel/recipe books. I also loved how Khan reflected on the similarities between Iran (where part of her family is from) and the eastern Mediterranean, and her descriptions of the Turkish diaspora in London - now I'm yearning to visit not only the Mediterranean countries described, but also to go back to London again.

This is an excellent book on many fronts, and I may have to buy myself a physical copy so I can see the beautiful photographs up close.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible stories about people connecting over a love of food and shared humanity. I read this in public tonight and found myself crying. A lot. It’s beautiful and so touching.

I’ve already tried two recipes from this and they were delicious! I loved how she made a special section in the back that lists all of the vegan and gluten free recipes, I wish all cookbooks did this!

***I will say, it’s still shocking to see people use the term g*psy that always makes me uncomfortable.***

“My time on this island has taught me that we can’t rely on the EU or our Greek government to solve all our problems,” she says solemnly. “The only solutions will come from us, ordinary people, organizing as a community and showing we can work together, eat together, feed each other, and grow together.”

[Nancee Pangares · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be cooking all summer out of this. Love the section from Ikaria. All food régional to an area we will visit in Sept 2023.

[Kristen Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sometimes when you are in an unfamiliar place, living through a difficult and painful experience, food can comfort and nourish you in a way that few other things can. They say that food shouldn't be emotional, but how can it not be, so full of memories as it is? So I sit on this balcony, morning after morning, eating as many figs as I can. Because ripe figs remind me of my childhood, of my home, of my community, of being loved. Ripe figs remind me of feeling safe."

Some of the most beautiful and heartbreaking travel/journalism writing I've ever read combined with a stunning love letter to the food of the Mediterranean. It's a gorgeous book and I will be sure to add it to my shelves.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written and photographed book, and is really evocative of the Mediterranean region (definitely the closest thing I've come to a holiday for a long time!) I really enjoyed reading about the food, culture and various start ups, and it made me long to be in Greece, eating good things by a beach. Having said all that, none of the recipes really stood out for me, there was nothing I wanted to make and eat immediately, which is the usual way I measure how good a cookbook is. I'm still glad to have read it, and will definitely look out for the other books by the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book with beautiful photos and great recipes from all over the. Mediterranean. They look delicious and the author has fascinating discussions with the chefs she meets.

[Sarah Nealy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved all the pictures of food and the recipes had me drooling. The stories were sad as they were all about refugees and their struggles so I enjoyed reading the recipes more.

[Sebadiaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uneven book, with good recipes (the ones I've tried have come out well), beautiful pictures, some interesting writing, but always just slightly off. For example, there are street images interjected through the chapters that look really cool, but no text to clarify where and what we are looking at. Similar with the writing, you get a mixed-bag of bravery/comfort and 'topical journalism' mixed with 'vacationing' that never sits right. The focus on the immigrations tale is a bit one-note and seems likely that it was neutered by editors, with a few raw moments still coming through. In the end I just think it could have been done better.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seemed pulled in two directions: one told the stories of how divisions between ethnicity, nationality, or refugee status can be healed with the connecting nature of food and gathering to share a meal; the second was a traditional collection of regional recipes. I think it would have been more cohesive if the featured recipes featured the organizations and people striving to make these connections through food OR focused on the regional cuisine.

[Carolyn Kost · Rating 2 out of 5]

The emphasis here is on the recipes, not the admittedly moving stories, probably less than 10% of the 300 pages. The author grew up in Birmingham, U.K., the daughter of Iranian refugees, which has given her a heart for the "estimated 5 million refugees [who] have come through Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus in the last five years--the biggest movement of people that Europe has seen since the Second World War" (22).

The "recipes in this book are inspired by the experiences I had and the people I met, they are all my own," so don't expect authenticity, if that is what you seek (and if it means anything). If you're willing to add 1/4 cup of olive oil, garlic, onions, lemon juice and mint to everything you prepare, this is the book for you. If, on the other hand, you're not so into the glisteny look to everything on your plate, avoid this one.

It's just not all that inspired, frankly. There are far better cookbooks for your foray into Turkish and Greek cuisine. This isn't The One. If you're determined to see it, check it out of the public library, but don't buy it. It will just sit on your shelf.

Regarding the stories, there is some travelogue through the titular region of Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus; a couple of politically-charged stories about dealing with refugees [Americans and "Europeans are dirty," Turks and Iranians are "obsessed with hygiene" (199); good to know]; conversations about Kurdish vs. Turkish identity, again in view of the refugee situation:

"'Those in power have always wanted to keep humans in competition with each other....to make it easier to exploit our labor and our natural resources. This is how capitalism works....I don't think we can get rid of borders until we overthrow capitalism'"--food ethnographer Musa Dagdeviren (255).

I can get on board with politics in my cookbooks; the authors of the classic The Political Palate were neighbors; I matronized Bloodroot, their wonderful establishment countless times, but this isn't that and I have no patience for emotionality without empirical evidence, so the following is an integral part of this review:

The Greek economy has been in shambles for a long time. Most residents live on less than $US900/ month working full time. Let's say you live on Lesbos, a little island where there are no jobs for natives; refugees arrive; you have to do something for them, and there's the rub: "...we can't rely on the EU or our Greek government to solve all our problems. The only solutions will come from us, ordinary people, organizing as a community and showing we can work together, eat together, feed each other, and grow together" (143). Cue Kumbaya and tambourines...

The fact is that European countries cannot absorb the numbers. In fact, after five years, "barely half the refugees in Germany's labor force today work in skilled jobs, although over 80% did in their home countries"; they are reliant on taxpayers support. "Swedes have learned since 2015 that even the most benevolent state has its limits. According to a report by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention...Sweden has gone from having one of the lowest to one of the highest levels of gun violence in Europe—worse than Italy or eastern Europe." Moreover, "In 2016, the country spent a stupefying $6 billion on refugees—more than 5% of its total budget."

That's the fact, Jack. I'm not unsympathetic. This is a horrible situation, but the current means of address are making life worse in places where life had been good and that is untenable.

[Kim Vertue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This attractive book is packed with beautiful photographs from travels in the Eastern Mediterranean from Athens to the Greek Islands, Turkey, and Istanbul. It showcases the eateries and people Yasmin Khan encounters on her travels, plus of course the lovely food of the region. The vivid colours of the fresh produce in street markets are wonderful, make you want to cook up something vibrant and delicious too.
There are many tempting dishes and Yasmin provides good clear recipes. I am eager to try a selection of these at home this summer to provide a virtual Mediterranean holiday – from the definitive Tzatziki (yoghurt and cucumber dip) to the mixture of tahini and grape molasses which sounds a great alternative to peanut butter and jam! But there are also recipes to try all year round, like nourishing Chicken soup.
Yasmin has written an accompanying Travelogue which reads as an honest snapshot of the region, coping with a massive influx of refugees often overlooked by the rest of the world. Here the local community do what they can to offer the dispossessed a home, and dignity, through the sharing of food, a common culture across the Eastern Mediterranean yet with endless variations.
Food can offer comfort, memories of home, and a new way to share that offers hope. Yasmin offers a personal grounding in her own experience, accompanied by interviews with many inspiring cooks that are leading the way towards such unity.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bloomsbury and Yasmin Khan for an advance e-book to review. Overall, I found it an interesting, delightful, and thought-provoking book. A coffee table cookbook with soul which is great for the armchair traveller and home cook. Well done, Yasmin Khan!

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I joined a monthly cookbook group through Food 52 a few months before the pandemic set in, but it wasn't until my spouse and I were cooking 100% of the food we ate that we really dove in with both feet. The experience got me back to using cookbooks rather than the internet for my recipes, which improved the range and quality of the meals that I prepared. It has just been recently that I have started to read the cookbook before cooking out of it, and this is a good one to approach in that way.
Ripe Figs is a book about resilience as much as recipes. The author, Yasmin Khan has travelled around the Eastern Mediterranean in search of stories about food from refugees who have landed on its shores. While exploring their cuisine and the dishes they have brought with them in their to recreate in their new environment, Khan considers the question of borders, migration, loss, and the role that food plays in helping people negotiate these life-changing events. The recipes are vegetable forward for the most part, and the index is well organized, and categorized around vegan versus vegetarian versus gluten free. There is a cultural context and a story to go with each of them, and center on small dishes and food as a way to build social structure and broader ties. This gives the book even more poignancy and amplifies the ways in which lives are disrupted and changed by events outside of our control.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because of the compelling personal stories, the beautiful photos, and the desire to eat almost every recipe, especially the Afghan spiced pumpkin. The book delivered on all these fronts. I made the Afghan spiced pumpkin first and it was absolutely delicious, even more than I had imagined or hoped it would be. The indication to roast sweet potatoes in a mixture of fennel seeds and thyme for another recipe (Sweet potato, chickpea & Tahini salad) is now my new favorite way to roast sweet potatoes. The pumpkin & cardamom soup was a hit even with my vegetable-averse children and I've been making the fragrant oats with rose water for breakfast several days in a row now, its creaminess topped with date syrup the perfect transition into cooler fall mornings this time of year. Next on my list to cook are the spiced tomato scramble, the Turkish bride soup, and the stuffed, roasted eggplants (also known as Imam bayildi in Turkish, "the imam fainted"). I love the brief descriptions introducing each recipe and when I'm not cooking, I enjoy reading the longer sections about the people the author met and cooked with in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshing cookery book. Some amazing colourful photos in this book, that just makes you think of summer. The recipes are just joyous and mouth watering. They are the essence of the med. We all need a few of these recipes in our lives. Yasmin gives us snippets of info of various places as we go through the book.
The recipes themselves are simple to understand and follow, there is nothing complicated. Most are quite simple and quick to make.
The food is flavoursome, healthy, yet you will be left wanting more……. You will be left returning to this book again and again. It is an everyday book, not just one of those books you buy and just use it for one perhaps two recipes, this is a book were you will be experimenting with most of the book.

Simply mouthwatering…….

buy from my shop at https://uk.bookshop.org/a/6117/978152...

[Sia Karamalegos]

I'm waiting to rate this book until I've tried a few recipes. I wanted to jot down my thoughts on the rest of the book while I remember...

As a fellow mixed heritage person, I really enjoyed the stories of the different regions and migrants. That may be what drew me to this book - a desire to merge some of the culinary ideas of the whole region (I'm half Greek). A few of the Greek culinary ideas were a little bit off, but that could also be a regional thing as even within Greece there are many differences.

Sometimes I eat vegetarian, so I appreciate the appendix that lists vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, and gluten free recipes. It's much more inclusive.

I look forward to trying out the recipes, even ones that she's put her own influence on. Except maybe spanakopita. Spanakopita is sacred 😄

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t typically review cookbooks on Goodreads but Ripe Figs is more than a cookbook. Through a series of essays and recipes, author Yasmin Khan, a Briton with roots in Iran and Pakistan, explores the cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Cyprus, Greece) along with the ongoing migrant crisis in those areas. I particularly appreciated how she found hope and community in various locations throughout the region where food was being used to bring people together. The food photography is absolutely gorgeous (the fig juice on the cover is so realistic, I thought I’d spilled something on my copy) and the recipes are varied and very appealing. It is not a vegetarian cookbook but the recipes are very veg focused, just like Mediterranean cuisine. I’m looking forward to trying out many of them.

[Shahedah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever had a cookbook where you knew you could make every single recipe in it, and have complete faith that it would need little-to-no adjusting, and would turn out delicious and just as the recipe intends? This is what Yasmin Khan manages to do—in all of her books, not just her latest.

Ripe Figs sings with the classic flavours of the Mediterranean through both creative and traditional recipes. Then there are those recipes included as a nod to refugees and migrants across the eastern Mediterranean. Because this is not just a book of recipes, it's a cookbook that tells a story.

Read my full review at https://foodiarist.com/2021/05/06/rev...

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

My household loves all food Mediterranean, so I grabbed this from the new book shelf at the library. Usually with cookbooks, I borrow first, evaluate, then buy if we bookmark 10+ recipes. Now this is on my Wish List!
Everything we made was tasty, though a bit time-consuming (not nearly so as the wonderful Zahav). If you don't regularly use ingredients like sumac, pomegranate molasses, or aleppo pepper, then you will either have new adventures, or pass this over.
What I didn't know is that Khan's approach is about migrants. She includes stories and a bit of her travelogue, so I wanted to do a full read after making recipes.
Highly recommend if these places are of interest.

[Jacquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I read a cookbook cover-to-cover. But this is no ordinary cookbook. Khan's travel writing is enviable - evocative without being overwrought - and adds a whole other dimension to what is already a fantastic collection of recipes. I loved how the theme of tearing down borders ran seamlessly throughout; from the moving stories of refugees and those who've dedicated their time and kitchens to making them feel at home, to the inclusion of recipes that appear in various guises across the Mediterranean (and beyond). This is a book full of humanity and heart, and would make a great gift for anyone with an interest in cooking, modern history or social justice.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this a fabulous middle eastern recipe book, but also and exploration of the cusine, culture and blending of the food of the regions. I really like the idea of no borders, no nations and harmony in the world - as a child of stateless citizens thrown out of their country after the 2WW - I really feel that I am a lost soul in this world, a person without a past or Identity.
But to get back to this book the recipes are good, divided into Breakfast, breads and grains, mezze - light meals, salads, soups, mains and desert., all beautifully photographed and with easy to follow instruction and a story that runs through it of love, food and harmony

[Ozge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nicely designed book that involves more than recipes but stories of people. Yasmin Khan mentiones pretty sensitive issues with a delicate style. This region is full of memories invervined with food, i respect author’s revealing these details via kitchen. For me, it was even a big shock to read northern part of Cyprus to be mentioned.

Overall sincere book but Cypriot cullinary examples were really limited. There are tones of interesting meali form both parts of the island. Dessert part was really missing since there was almost no dessert made with dairy which is common in The region.

[Sarah Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Ripe Figs during a cold February in lockdown was perfect timing. This beautiful book brought the sunshine, feel and flavours of the Eastern Mediterranean in to my life. More than just a cook book, Yasmin Khan writes about the lives of the refugees, the amazing people helping them that she meets on her travels and also the politics of this melting pot of cultures.

The recipes are simple to follow and inspiring and I cannot wait until we can have friends over to try these recipes on as they are perfect for sharing.

I was given a copy of Ripe Figs by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got some recipes I want to try but I found the stories and anecdotes around them unsatisfying. There were nods at being personal; she has trouble being outgoing in Athens because of her recent miscarriage. But then that personal issue vanishes, leaving me hesitant to invest in any more stories, which were mostly of her exploring the lives of migrants and immigrants as she eats her way across Greece, Cypress and Turkey. Her analysis of the Cypriot problem seems to be “can’t we all just get along” as she stares uncomprehendingly at people who resent the people living on the their grandparents’ farm.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, as it brought back brilliant memories of my own travels through Turkey. I enjoyed reading the stories about the local groups and enterprises that are striving to make a difference to the local community, its people and their immigrants.

The photography is beautifully done and although not all of the recipes appealed to me, there are certainly a few I'm looking forward to trying out!

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not only a cookbook of favorite dishes from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus, but also a wonderful photographic journal of local foods and sights. The author spends time addressing local cuisine and the melding of cultures from the numerous refugees in these areas. While the plight and treatment of refugees to this area is important, her feelings about the matter sometimes detract from the enjoyment found in the different cultures.

[Bonnie Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has quickly become my favorite cookbook! I love the variety of recipes from different cultures. The author has somehow made these recipes very accessible for even a novel cook—I had to purchase just a few unique ingredients (pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper) but otherwise found things to be fairly straightforward. The photographs and stories are beautiful. Everything I’ve made so far is unique and delicious. Highly recommend!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peace without borders

I devoured this book, not only got the dining photography and beautiful recipes, but for the stories and commentary. We connect so much through food without even realizing it. This is a must read, please also check out the organizations listed at the end of the book to support.

[Sarah A · Rating 4 out of 5]

The variety of easy diverse, multiple recipes and stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus is all in the food, not to forget the great photos and the watercolor painting of the Mediterranean map on the first two pages. I like how Yasmin created her own recipes inspired by the experience, the people, and the Mediterranean air in the recipes.

[Shaida Hossein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Checked this book out at the library. Tried the classic Turkish meatballs; they were tasty! There weren’t too many recipes that I wanted to try so not a cookbook I would purchase; I also have a lot of Persian and middle eastern cookbooks. Other recipes that looked intriguing to try: afghan spiced pumpkin, lemon chicken soup, beef stifado and Greek tomato meatballs.