Middle Eastern

These flavorful marinated onions also make a great condiment for grilled steak.

Kohlrabi "bulbs" fall somewhere between the size of golf balls and softballs. The smaller they are, the sweeter they are, which is desirable for this recipe since you're serving them raw.

One cook’s “exotic” is another cook’s pantry staple. Yotam Ottolenghi, the chef who introduced za’atar and pomegranate molasses to countless kitchens around the world, on not sweating the specialty ingredient.

Our homage to lahmacun, the Middle Eastern flatbread.

Beating the butter and sugar properly (read thoroughly) gives these mini cakes lift, but they will still be moist and marzipan-y in the center.

This Levantine-inspired leg of lamb recipe from the duo behind L.A.’s buzzy restaurant Animal makes for an impressive, and festive, centerpiece. The Flintstonian-sized bone lends flavor as the meat braises, but if you prefer, a boneless tied leg of lamb is a little more manageable and cooks more quickly.

You could be making better hummus.

Intentionally overcooking the chickpeas then whipping the mixture is key. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

Spread the news: This Middle Eastern dip is our creamy, dreamy dish of the year.

To make this tomato-on-bread revelation right this very minute, use a prepared flatbread like naan or pocketless pita.

The sugars in the marinade can burn; moderate the heat if the chicken looks like it’s getting too dark. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

Turmeric or cinnamon? Nuts or raisins? The players may change, but the fundamentals of fluffy, fragrant jasmine rice pilaf are always the same.

When using preserved lemons, scoop out the insides and only use the peel.

Chef Einat Admony’s keys to getting kids to eat yogurt: Make it bright red and thicker than ice cream.

Top this thickened, spreadable yogurt with a drizzle of olive oil and some spices (we’re suckers for za’atar).

Use store-bought meringues and skip the first step, if you prefer.

Yes, you can treat parsley as a salad green, as long as your bunch isn’t woody. Sweet molasses and tart sumac make it vibrant. As for the raw onions, massage them with salt and let them sit for half an hour so they’re not so astringent. Also, adds Ottolenghi, “so you don’t burb.”

This tahini-enhanced recipe is what ranch dressing would taste like if it spent a few months traipsing through the Middle East (and poured itself on a bed of haricots verts).

Sugared, roasted lemons are edible from rind to flesh and give this salsa-like mix a bracing jolt of sourness.

Not your ordinary side of rice. Two types means more textures to layer with crunchy nuts and tender beans.

Because of the brothy marinade, the skin won’t get as crisp as with other roast chickens, but the flesh will be so tender, you’ll want to eat it with your hands.

From pomegranate molasses to ras-el-hanout, the 5 most common (and important) Middle Eastern ingredients to keep in your pantry

Middle Eastern grilling recipes, from lamb chops and tabbouleh to pickles and dips, from cookbook author Anissa Helou

Lamb and yogurt is a classic combination. You'll be scraping the plate with pita.