Saha: A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria [Middle Eastern Cookbook, 150 Recipes]

by Greg Malouf, Lucy Malouf, Anthony Bourdain (Foreword)

In Saha, world-renowned chef Greg Malouf returns to the land of his ancestors to explore its broad and influential cuisine. Stretching from neighboring Iran throughout the Mediterranean to North Africa, the roots of Greg's culinary history are here in the land of his forbears, and together with writing partner Lucy Malouf, he embarks on a month-long culinary journey.

The cuisine in Saha is traditional and inspirational, enticingly spiced and fragrant with flower waters. From hearty peasant dishes to more subtly spiced specialties from ancient palaces, the dishes are complex in flavor yet not too complicated to make at home. Heartwarming stories and recipes from the people Greg and Lucy meet on their journey are teamed with evocative images and Greg's own unique take on history. The rich and exciting cuisine from Lebanon and Syria captures the spirit of the modern and the ancient, the characters, dishes, flavors and colors beautifully portrayed in this highly illustrated and lavishly designed Middle Eastern Cookbook.

Authentic recipes include:
Spinach, Lentil and Lemon Soup, Bedouin-style
Aleppo-style Sausage Rolls
Upside-down Poached Chicken and Eggplant Pilaf
Arabic Fish Stew with Lemon and Saffron and Hot Pepper Rouille
Double-cooked Duck with Cinnamon, Honey, Cardamom and Mastic
Lamb Shawarma
Sambousek Pastries with Cheese and Leek
Lebanese Doughnuts with Lemon Syrup
Raspberry Turkish Delight Truffles
Turkish Coffee
From the forward by Anthony Bourdain:
There is no doubt that this is a country and a culinary tradition busting with possibilities. All that's needed now, is for someone to explore them and share them with the rest of us. Fortunately, Greg and Lucy Malouf have.

*Winner of the Gold trophy for Best Food Book and Grand Prix award at the Gourmet Voice Food Media awards in Cannes, France*

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Greg Malouf was an Australian chef of Lebanese descent, author, and culinary consultant. He was known as a pioneer of modern Middle Eastern cuisine in Australia and for the influence that his work has had on Middle Eastern cuisine at large.

Reviews

[Beka]

Beautiful photos of a lovely region and lots of tasty looking recipes.

[Kit]

I liked the style of writing, I really felt I was traveling with the Malouf's through Syria and Lebanon. All the more poignant with the mention of places I'm only hearing through the news because of the conflict in Syria: Homs, Aleppo. How many of the people that they visited as part of this journey are still there? Have tried making a few of the recipes: yoghurt soup with dumplings and lemony kebabs, which worked quite well.

An interesting read, a book to borrow, but not for me to keep or buy.

[Manal Chowdhury]

It's fantastic - right down to the artistically zoomed in photographs, depictions of the culture, the recipes, the narratives. It reawakened my love of Middle Eastern food tenfold.

[Esther Brum]

Middle western cookbook, travel book, great recipes easy to follow, stunning photos

[Rebecca]

Part coffee table book, part travel journal, part cookbook, Saha: A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria Middle Eastern Cookbook, 150 Recipes is truly a wonderful volume to own. Matt Harvey's photography transports us to Syria and Lebanon, something valued even more so in this travel-restricted time. Despite the fact that Goodreads lists only Chef Greg Malouf as the "author" in the short form citation, the jacket says "Greg and Lucy Malouf"--and this is accurate. The rich prose that accompanies the recipes is by Lucy--she recounts their meetings with Arak makers, pine nut growers, peasant bread-bakers, ice cream makers, and more. All of this against a backdrop of smells, images, and sounds that she describes with great beauty, but not romanticized hyperbole. There are good days and then there are the harder days--tales with which anyone who has traveled for an extended period of time will empathize. There are a few slight editorial issues--a misspelling here or there, a word defined after it has already appeared several times--but these are minor. The book is a compelling journey---not just of a "a chef" as the subtitle implies--but also of Lucy. We experience much of it through her eyes, ears, and taste.

Then there are the recipes. I tried the "Swiss Chard with Crisp Fried Onion and Tahini Sauce", "Zucchini and Mint Fritters", "Lebanese Nut Rice" and "Monk's Salad with Garlicky Dressing." Tomorrow I step up my game and make my first kibbeh! And not just any kibbeh: "Zghorta-style kibbeh patties stuffed with cinnamon and pine nut butter." I'm slightly terrified, which is why I am writing this review NOW. At the end of the day, I figure I love all the ingredients in the recipe so if my kibbeh lacks a certain je ne sais quoi, hopefully it will still taste good.

It is worth noting that reading through the recipes will likely make your mouth water. The combinations of flavors seem to bring Lucy's prose to life and you feel lucky to have this touchstone to their travels. Now, if you don't have access to good spice stores, you might feel a bit frustrated. It would seem Chef Malouf is not a fan of substitutes---that's not to say he's dogmatic in his recipes, but what is missing is a "resources" section. You aren't likely to find "pistachio halawa" (for example) or even orange blossom water in your standard American supermarket. Sometimes the harder-to-find (in the US) ingredients are marked "optional" so you can feel ok about making your Lebanese Lemonade Sorbet without Turkish apple tea. But I honestly don't know where to find katalfi pastry or even ground sumac -- that is not to say I won't try! There are also several recipes where you have to make a recipe on another page FIRST. There are times where this is appropriate, but others where if you haven't planned ahead, you will find you do not have time to make two recipes for the price of one.

Overall, however, this is definitely not a cookbook you would ever want in a "Kindle" version. It is a package: the sights and sounds of the the restaurants, shops, landscapes are nestled in between the beautiful recipes. The pages provide beautifully designed backdrops that recall the gorgeous Islamic mosaics and designs that graced their travels. It is an experience. Lucy leaves the reader with the image that helps us understand what is truly important about reading and sharing in this book and its food:

"One by one, people got to their feet and I saw a young man behind me brush a tear from his eye as, old and young, men and women, Muslim and Christian, they started to sing Lebanon's national anthem. And for a few precious moments it was as if the whole of Lebanon was united in one voice."

[Book Grocer]

Purchase Saha here for just $15!

Saha could be described as part cookbook, part travelogue, with lots of wonderful photographs of both the food and the scenery. The collection of recipes are very authentic and will have you salivating from your first look. Best enjoyed with a cup of mint tea.

Alicia - The Book Grocer

[Christy]

This book made me so hungry.

[Abby]

barazek <3 <3 <3

[Amy]

In an age where most people seem to find their recipes online, this book stands out as a reason to still purchase recipe books. It's beautiful illustrations, histories of the food and explanations of ingredients are not gimmicky - they're just wonderful to read and look at. The recipes too are very authentic, but high-end authentic, not everyday food from Syria and Lebanon but what you might get at the top restaurants.

The pictures and stories are particularly poignant now given the destruction of Syria and the threat to all aspects of its culture. I had this book bought for me and have since bought it as a present for others. My favourite recipes are the lamb and cherries and the cheesy yoghurt bread!