NEW RELEASES Five of the best cookbooks

SYRIAN RECIPES ENHANCED BY A TANGY HIT OF SUMAC

OUR PICK SUMAC: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM SYRIA

Anas Atassi

In his debut cookbook, Anas Atassi explores Middle Eastern memories and flavours. Interspersed with tales of summers spent in Syria as a child, and of learning how to cook much-missed dishes from his homeland and mother’s kitchen while at university, are recipes that range from the traditional to Atassi’s own interpretations and adaptations. The book focuses on two key components of Syrian cuisine: sumac and nafas. Known as the ‘red thread’ in the Netherlands, where Atassi now lives, sumac is the citrussy spice that holds recipes together, from classic labneh (strained yoghurt) and sfeeha (flatbread) to creations such as spicy fish pilaf with caramelised onions. Nafas, meanwhile, is less tangible; translating as ‘breath’, it’s the Syrian way of cooking that ensures ingredients combine harmoniously — the highest compliment you could ever give a Syrian cook. “Nafas is found in the heart of the person at the stove, and in the essence of a well-prepared dish,” says Atassi. £25, Murdoch Books

Uyen Luu

With her second book, Uyen Luu aims to simplify Vietnamese cooking. The chapters have names like ‘things to eat with rice’ and ‘heavenly noodle soups’ and contain 85 recipes, all made using readily available ingredients. Highlights include sticky mustard and marmalade ribs. £22, Hardie Grant

Watermelon salad. Right: Anas Atassi and his mother