In the Times Food Book of the Year 2018, Joudie Kalla‭, ‬author of the bestselling‭ ‬Palestine on a Plate‭, ‬introduces readers to more of the Middle East’s best-kept secret‭ ‬–‭ ‬Palestinian cuisine‭.

'An important cuisine and culinary tradition that needs to be understood, celebrated, and enjoyed.' Anthony Bourdain

'This book goes to the heart of the relationship between food and identity, and conveys a sense of belonging through beautiful, compelling and, yes, joyous recipes. I just want to eat everything in it.' Nigella Lawson

‬'Baladi'‭ ‬means‭ 'my home‭, ‬my land‭, ‬my country'‭, ‬and Joudie once again pays homage to her homeland of Palestine by showcasing the wide-ranging‭, ‬vibrant and truly delicious dishes of this country‭.‬

Baladi‭ ‬features recipes that are categorised according to the differing environments they hail from‭, ‬such as the land‭, ‬the sea‭, ‬the forest‭, ‬the orchard‭. Dishes are designed to complement one another‭, ‬and Joudie explains which work well together as a meal‭, ‬as well as the varied and‭ ‬diverse origins of the recipes‭. Joudie takes an entirely flexible approach‭, ‬using influences from her homeland to create new dishes‭, ‬and bringing her own twist to more traditional recipes‭.‬

‬Experience the wonderful flavours of Palestine with:

• daoud basha‭ (‬lamb meatballs cooked in a tamarind and tomato sauce served with caramelised onions and vermicelli rice‭)
• fatayer sabanekh‭ (‬spinach‭, ‬sumac and onion patties‭)
• samak makli‭ (‬fried fish selection with courgette‭, ‬mint and yoghurt dip‭)
• atayef‭ (‬soft pancakes filled with cream‭, ‬cheese or nuts in an orange blossom sugar syrup‭), ‬and many more sensational recipes‭.

This highly illustrated cookery book is interspersed with shots of the landscape, streets and people of Palestine, and is perfect for anyone interested in the rich culinary culture of Palestine.