In the book he shares traditional Syrian dishes that form the basis of his cooking at the restaurant. Later on, he talks of the frustrations of Syrian refugees, who believe the plight of their countrymen have been forgotten by many in the West. sensational recipes celebrating the flavours of Syria, that can easily be made in the comfort of your own home This is the first cookbook from Imad Al Arnab, a renowned chef from Damascus. Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is a bustling, riotous tour through 90 traditional and adapted Syrian dishes that can be made in the comfort of your own home.

There are six chapters to the book in total, covering spice mixes, recipe basics, starters, mains, desserts and drinks. Throughout, the recipes are simple and straightforward, with almost all the ingredients obtainable in your local supermarket. My favourite recipes were ‘Katif Ghanam’ (slow cooked marinated lamb shoulder baked in a parcel with herbs, carrots, potatoes and onion), ‘Mujadara’ (bulgar wheat and brown lentil salad) and ‘Muhammara’ (a red pepper and walnut chunky paste). Imad will introduce us to the delicious flavours and techniques of the Syrian kitchen – showing you just how easy this wonderful cuisine can be. To access your ebook(s) after purchasing, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly on your browser by logging into Glose.For all ebook purchases, you will be prompted to create an account or login with your existing HarperCollins username and password. There are a lot of very nice photographs of the completed recipes, and also some of the preparations and intermediary stages, where extra help might be needed.

Imad’s response is that 1) he already spoke fluent English, and did not feel at his age he could learn a new language to the same proficiency required to integrate into the new country; 2) he already had family living in Northern England. An entry midway through sees him reflecting on his relationship with his mother, who died in Syria less than two months after he arrived in the UK.Imad now runs an acclaimed restaurant in London, which was named GQ’s ‘Best Breakthrough Restaurant 2022’. The recipes were all easy to make, though some of the timings needed extending (possibly due to our oven’s idiosyncrasies). Only one recipe had an ingredient I was not able to get: sour cherry molasses for the ‘Saroja’ (fried baby aubergines with cheeses). In some respects, the recipes in Imad Alarnab’s debut cookbook, named after his recently relocated Kingly Court restaurant in London’s Soho​​, are secondary to the author’s story of journeying as a refugee from his hometown of Damascus in Syria to London in 2015.

Imad now runs an acclaimed restaurant in London, which was named GQ ’s ‘Best Breakthrough Restaurant 2022’. Soon after that he was running a pop-up restaurant in east London that was so popular tickets sold out in 24 hours, which led to him opening the doors of his Carnaby Street restaurant in 2021.Firstly, the exact dimensions of the pan are not given, and secondly, it makes it very difficult to halve the recipe, as you cannot calculate ratios. Alarnab has told his story many times before​​ to journalists and on TV, but this is the first time he’s really been given the space to explain the whole saga: from his life as a restaurateur in Damascus to being forced to flee and journey through Europe to the UK; navigating the UK’s long and debilitating immigration process; his fight to bring his family to the UK from Syria; opening his first restaurant in London; and, finally, reflecting on what it means to be a refugee today’s world.