Discover Eastern Mediterranean cuisine

Limor Chen of Delamina restaurant (delamina marylebone.co.uk) in London’s Marylebone guides us through the key dishes and ingredients in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Tahini

is a popular condiment made from crushed sesame seeds. It accompanies many dishes, from veg and salad dressings to meat. The level of seasoning is varied – personally, I love my tahini citrussy and strongly seasoned, so that’s how I make it.

Halva

Like tahini, halva is also made from crushed sesame, but with added honey and sugar, making it a delicious sweet treat. I use it in a parfait, combining the halva with roasted almonds to balance its sweetness. It’s served with raw tahini and date syrup which beautifully complement each other.

Kadayif

These are very fine noodles used in Middle Eastern desserts. They’re usually soaked in sugary syrup and accompanied with nuts and sometimes cream. I find traditional recipes too sweet, so I leave out the syrup, keeping the noodles dry and crunchy, then top them with a vanilla cream cheese and sprinkle with caramelised pecans and a drizzle of orange peel syrup. Delicious!

Zhoug

Originating in the Yemen, zhoug is a spicy relish with a pesto-like consistency. Ours is made with fresh coriander, green chilli and garlic. We serve it with our tahini to add a bit of heat.

Shakshuka

Served for breakfast or brunch, eggs are poached in a thick sauce of tomatoes, red peppers and onions. We make it in a clay pot with pul biber chillies to add a kick.

Koftas

Patties of minced meat flavoured with local spices, depending on the region.

I use my dad’s recipe, with spices and lots of green herbs (parsley, coriander, dill and mint), resulting in beautifully light, herby koftas. We serve ours with chargrilled onions on a bed of hummus and tahini, with spicy harissa oil and pomegranate seeds.

Sumac

A crimson-purple coarse powder used to add lemony flavour. One of my favourite spices, it’s used in Iran to garnish rice and it truly transforms its flavour. I also use it on salads and on grilled fish, or when I want to add delicate acidity to a dish. It’s as beautiful in its colour as in its taste.

Poussin

Baby chicken is very popular in Israel, seasoned with local spices, grilled and often served in a pitta. We season ours with ras el hanout, a mix of the best spices in the shop (hence its name, meaning ‘head of the shop’). We debone and charcoal grill it, resulting in a crisp outer layer with juicy, tender meat inside.