Following on from the success of their award-winning books, Saha and Turquoise, Greg and Lucy Malouf now explore one of the world s earliest and greatest empires: Saraban is an unforgettable journey through the culinary landscapes of ancient Persia and modern-day Iran. Persian cuisine is one of the oldest and most sophisticated in the world and its influence spread across India and the Middle East to North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula and even through Medieval Europe. It s a cuisine that is subtle, elegant and alluring, which rejoices in rice, uses fresh herbs in abundance and combines meat, fish, fruit and vegetables with exotic spices, such as saffron, cardamom and dried limes. In Saraban, Greg and Lucy discover a land where the rich diversity of climate, countryside, architecture and poetry provide a fitting background for an equal variety and richness of cuisine. Join them as they visit bustling bazaars and tiny soup kitchens, pick saffron before dawn and fish, in time-honoured tradition, from wooden dhows in the Persian Gulf.
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"Filled with gorgeous photographs and interesting stories, "[Saraban]" also offers excellent recipes, both traditional and modern." --Bois de Jasmine
About the Author
Widely acclaimed as the master of modern Middle Eastern cooking, Greg Malouf has transformed the international restaurant scene with his innovative food. He is currently head chef at London s Petersham Nurseries. Lucy Malouf is a food writer and editor based in France.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 62 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Following on from their earlier Saha and Turquoise, Greg and Lucy Malouf turn their attentions to Iran. In the same vein as those earlier books, it is mostly a travelogue and photograph album, and almost secondarily it seems a recipe book. 'Turquoise' I thought had too many photos of old blokes sitting around smoking tabs and kids mucking around in grubby back streets of Istanbul. 'Saha' was a bit better in that respect as the photographs were generally more food related and added to the 'food atmosphere'. This new book falls somewhere between those two stools, but having said that, this is probably a prime contender for the most visually stunning cookbook I have seen, with a riot of colour and patterns depicted in the country's art and architecture.
As to the recipes themselves, there are plenty of classics such as shirin polow, zereshk polow (here with rose petals), morasa polow (jewelled rice, here sadly somewhat understated compared to other cookbooks) and a version of duck fesenjan. However there's also a reasonable selection of items I haven't come across before despite having a sizeable collection of cookbooks of Persian and Middle Eastern cooking, from simple street food such as grilled corn on the cob but enlivened with sumaq and lime zest and juice, to koofteh Tabrizi, giant meatballs stuffed with fruit and nuts. I can't wait to have a go at the cardamom and pistachio fudge which undoubtedly tastes as amazing as it looks in the photograph (albeit in the photo it also contains rose petals which are not mentioned in the text - don't you just hate it when they do that in cookbooks?).
Would I recommend it? Well yes and no. As a lover of Middle Eastern food in general and Iranian food in particular, I can count myself content to include this in my collection. If you are happy to have essentially a coffee table book, fine. I'm not sure a book like this is something you would want to let anywhere near the kitchen lest it get splattered with your pomegranate molasses. If you want something more practical and potentially expendable, then for starters I would suggest The Legendary Cuisine of Persia or A Taste of Persia instead.
As to the recipes themselves, there are plenty of classics such as shirin polow, zereshk polow (here with rose petals), morasa polow (jewelled rice, here sadly somewhat understated compared to other cookbooks) and a version of duck fesenjan. However there's also a reasonable selection of items I haven't come across before despite having a sizeable collection of cookbooks of Persian and Middle Eastern cooking, from simple street food such as grilled corn on the cob but enlivened with sumaq and lime zest and juice, to koofteh Tabrizi, giant meatballs stuffed with fruit and nuts. I can't wait to have a go at the cardamom and pistachio fudge which undoubtedly tastes as amazing as it looks in the photograph (albeit in the photo it also contains rose petals which are not mentioned in the text - don't you just hate it when they do that in cookbooks?).
Would I recommend it? Well yes and no. As a lover of Middle Eastern food in general and Iranian food in particular, I can count myself content to include this in my collection. If you are happy to have essentially a coffee table book, fine. I'm not sure a book like this is something you would want to let anywhere near the kitchen lest it get splattered with your pomegranate molasses. If you want something more practical and potentially expendable, then for starters I would suggest The Legendary Cuisine of Persia or A Taste of Persia instead.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Could take pride of place on the coffee table, the kitchen shelf or bedside.
22 Dec 2011
By Danny Marbella
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
Persian food is hearty yet healthy, loaded with flavour and aroma. Herbs feature heavily, used every bit as abundantly as in Vietnamese cuisine. By contrast, though, they're often added to long-cooked stews and egg dishes, resulting in deep, rich, elusive flavours that linger in the mind. Chapters are divided into topics such as 'Staples', 'Sweets' and 'Small Dishes', reflecting the generosity with which Persian food is presented.
Greg's recipes are consistently compelling, displaying a slight avant-garde spin toward traditional Persian recipes. From Barberi breads at breakfast to a Fresh herb stew with lamb and dried lime at dinner, opportunities for use are limitless. Tempting Cardamom-pistachio butter fudge jostles for attention alongside the 'Longest night grazing mix' or the clever Olive, pomegranate and grated walnut salad.
The Maloufs weave the tale of a relatively unknown cuisine with verve, revealing elements of the country's complex history. The book's design includes gold cut-outs dividing chapters and a dust jacket which unfolds to reveal beautifully patterned paper in warm earth tones.
When a book delivers such wealth, it's difficult to categorise. You have to make up your own mind...Enjoy
Greg's recipes are consistently compelling, displaying a slight avant-garde spin toward traditional Persian recipes. From Barberi breads at breakfast to a Fresh herb stew with lamb and dried lime at dinner, opportunities for use are limitless. Tempting Cardamom-pistachio butter fudge jostles for attention alongside the 'Longest night grazing mix' or the clever Olive, pomegranate and grated walnut salad.
The Maloufs weave the tale of a relatively unknown cuisine with verve, revealing elements of the country's complex history. The book's design includes gold cut-outs dividing chapters and a dust jacket which unfolds to reveal beautifully patterned paper in warm earth tones.
When a book delivers such wealth, it's difficult to categorise. You have to make up your own mind...Enjoy
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By JM
Format:Hardcover
I was looking for a recipe book that would remind me of the sights and sounds of my month traveling Iran, and I found it. Saraban is a 'Must Have' book if you have spent any time in Iran. It has exquisite photos, an accurate account of the diverse country and its hospitable people, and a collection of fantastic recipes. Greg Malouf presents classic Persian recipes in a contemporary way. They are easy to follow and simple to prepare for the home cook. This book has broadened my culinary repertoire and looks great on my kitchen bench too!
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mouth-watering in every way
This is a most beautifully presented book both in terms of the recipes and the stunning photographs, which makes it one to pick up and browse over with pleasure every so often, as... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Gypsybooks
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book
Greg Malouf is synonymous with great middle eastern inspired recipes and his wife Lucy is a great travel writer. This latest book is more like a travelogue/coffee table book. Read more
Published 7 months ago by M Lovey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Saraban
Lovely book with beautiful pictures and lovely recipes. Very interesting and more than happy with this purchase - can recommend as a present for others.
Published 11 months ago by JH
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent value
Normally I like coffee table cookery books but this was so much cheaper on kindle and does not take up too much space so I can strongly recommend it
Published 12 months ago by Dr. J. Bestley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful edition to cherish
Beautiful book. Great addition to a kitchen library. Much better quality of print then expected for that price. A lot of information. Wonderful recipes. Read more
Published 23 months ago by HollyB.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightful
This is a delightful book, more a coffe table book that a cookery book, but still showing some very good dishes.
Published 24 months ago by Mr. Raoul C. Du Valle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Saraban
This beautiful book, filled with wonderful photographs, is a delight to the eye. The interesting commentary makes it one third travel book and two thirds cookery book. Read more
Published on 2 May 2011 by margan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love the book
Bought this book as a table book rather than a cook book. I just recently travelled through Iran and fell in love with the country, when I saw the book I had to have it. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2011 by S. Tomankova
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