For untold centuries, the Bedouin of the Arabian Peninsula, in their desert tents, have served their honored guests lavish meals featuring roasted lamb with rice. Arab hospitality has not changed over the ages but the cuisine has undergone a remarkable evolution in the last 100 years, making it extremely diverse. This diversity is due, in part, to the thriving petroleum industry which has drawn people–along with their foods and cooking methods–from around the world. The blending of these culinary worlds has produced something remarkable. In “The Arabian Nights Cookbook,” author Habeeb Salloum has compiled an amazing array of recipes that celebrate this blending of cultures while still making it compatible with the everyday kitchens of the Western world. From the familiar, Hummus Bi-Tahini, to the unique, Stuffed Lamb, Salloum offers an accessible world of savory tastes and memory provoking aromas.
