Middle Eastern recipes

Travel through the Middle East with this medley of delicious meals to tantalise the tastebuds.

Take a trip to the Middle East via your kitchen, with dishes that celebrate a balance of spice, warmth and texture. Whether you have a hankering for falafel, eight-hour lamb shoulder with Israeli couscous and labne or orange caramel sticky doughnuts, this collection of flavoursome recipes will have you covered.

Ancient grain salad, goat’s curd, pomegranate, crisp fried shallots

Ancient grain salad, goat’s curd, pomegranate, crisp fried shallots

Barbecued sumac prawns with yoghurt flatbread

Barbecued sumac prawns with yoghurt flatbread

Borani-ye esfenaj (spinach, turmeric and golden raisin dip)

Borani-ye esfenaj (spinach, turmeric and golden raisin dip)

Chilled spiced tomato soup with Middle Eastern herbs and labne

Chilled spiced tomato soup with Middle Eastern herbs and labne

Eight-hour lamb shoulder with Israeli couscous and labne

Eight-hour lamb shoulder with Israeli couscous and labne

Falafel

Falafel

Fragrant chicken with sumac onions

Fragrant chicken with sumac onions

Fried eggplant with medieval sals

Fried eggplant with medieval sals

Haloumi and crushed wheat salad

Haloumi and crushed wheat salad

Melting salmon in fragrant salt, tarator style

Melting salmon in fragrant salt, tarator style

Orange caramel sticky doughnuts

Orange caramel sticky doughnuts

Persian-style chickpea salad

Persian-style chickpea salad

Seafood khoresh

Seafood khoresh

Sour cherry sorbet

Sour cherry sorbet

Spiced lamb with cracked wheat and green olive salad

Spiced lamb with cracked wheat and green olive salad

Tomato, shanklish and tarragon

Tomato, shanklish and tarragon

Watermelon with rosewater, labne, mint and pomegranate molasses

Watermelon with rosewater, labne, mint and pomegranate molasses

Yoghurt lamb with freekah pilaf

Yoghurt lamb with freekah pilaf

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.