The New Book of Middle Eastern Food

The definitive encyclopedic reference on Middle Eastern cooking, originally published in 1968 and thoroughly expanded in this 2000 edition. Claudia Roden spent decades traveling the region, collecting more than 800 recipes and the stories behind them. James Beard called the original “a landmark in the field of cookery,” and this updated version only strengthens that claim.

Why Start Here

This is Roden’s masterwork, the book that established her reputation and changed how the West understood Middle Eastern food. The original 1968 edition was revolutionary, introducing readers to hummus, tabbouleh, couscous, and hundreds of other dishes that are now commonplace but were then virtually unknown outside the region. This expanded 2000 edition adds decades of further research and travel, with new recipes and contemporary variations on the classics.

The book covers the full sweep of Middle Eastern cooking across four major culinary traditions: the refined rice-based cuisine of Iran, the hearty dishes of Turkey, the elegant mezze culture of Syria and Lebanon, and the tagines and couscous of North Africa. Roden writes with both scholarly authority and genuine warmth, explaining the cultural context and regional variations for each dish without ever losing sight of the practical goal of getting dinner on the table.

What to Expect

A substantial 528-page volume that reads as both cookbook and culinary history. The recipes are organized by course and technique, ranging from simple dips and salads to elaborate celebration dishes. Headnotes provide cultural context and suggest variations. There are no photographs, but the writing is vivid and precise. You will need to stock some specialty ingredients like sumac, pomegranate molasses, and orange blossom water, but most recipes use widely available pantry staples.