There are many places in the world with food I love – Japan and Malaysia, Scandinavia and Peru, but I think Middle East takes the crown for me. I’m sure it’s not just about food. I’ve always been very interested in the region and its past: ancient Mesopotamian history is one of my favourite things to read about. I’m also fascinated by Central Asia, some of which is occasionally included in a looser definition of Middle East and in any case connected to it profoundly via the geographical and mental Silk Road.

I have to admit as well that I find both the region and the food exotic – a typical naive Westerner who cannot get enough of pomegranates and dates, desert wind and jinnis, calligraphy and carpets. To put it in context, though, I also romanticise the American South and Central European golden years and many other places/times the same way. So even if I am a cultural appropriator, I’m at least an equal opportunities one.

Still, there are a few more food-focused reasons I like Middle Eastern cooking so much. First, the general attitude: there is a huge love of food, but the cooking and eating are not rigid or horribly formalized. Most of the traditional recipes are pretty freeform and the mezze style of eating appeals to me greatly. I also love the fact that there is a lot of flavor – many condiments, spices and herbs -, but not necessarily that much heat. And I of course love lamb, rose water, slow-cooked stews, pomegranate molasses, almonds and pistachios – all of which feature prominently in the food of that neighborhood.

I’ve been asked lately about my favourite Middle Eastern (inspired) cookbooks and I decided to put together a little list. Please keep in mind that this is not a best-of list, there are some classics that I have not yet read and some objectively good books that didn’t grab me. This is just a glimpse of a well-loved part of my cookbook shelf that I hope might be useful to some of you.

1, 2, 3. Greg and Lucy Malouf: Saraban, New Middle Eastern Food, New Feast and others. My love affair with with Middle Eastern food – and Persian food in particular – began thanks to Bois de Jasmin who introduced me to the Maloufs, an Australian chef/foodwriter duo. Their approach to food is modern, but deeply informed by tradition and history. Greg is of Lebanese heritage and they have traveled extensively in the entire region, something that is showcased perfectly in their books. If you’re not only interested in the recipes but also the context of them, you will enjoy their books greatly.

My favourite from them is probably Saraban, about Persian food, but I also love Saha (Lebanon and Syria) and Moorish (mostly North Africa – not all of them are in Brussels with me). If you can afford it, New Middle Eastern Food is a stunning book that collects many of their best recipes, although it lacks the atmospheric travel photos and chapters. For vegetarians, New Feast might be the best option.

One thing to consider, though, is that these books are best for at least somewhat experienced cooks, not total beginners. They don’t really dumb anything down. Partly for that reason, these are great when you really want to impress someone – you could make Veiled Quail with Rice, Date and Rose Petal Stuffing, for example (I’ve made it twice). That said, in every book, there are easier recipes as well, like Borani-je Esfenaj (yoghurt, spinach, turmeric and golden raisin dip) from Saraban or the Orange, Cardamom and Sour Cream Cake from Moorish. I also learned to make Persian rice and tah-deeg from these books.

4. Sabrina Ghayour: Persiana. This is my first pick for people who have never cooked Middle Eastern food before and maybe don’t cook very often at all. For all my love of Maloufs, I believe I actually cook from Persiana more often. Ghayour is an Iranian living in London and her recipes are accessible and flavoursome and they work. Her Spice-Perfumed Shoulder of Lamb is my go-to and the Saffron and Lemon Chicken is lovely and easy, as are the Cumin-Roastedd Carrots with Honey-Lemon Dressing.

5. Sabrina Ghayour: Sirocco. This has just been published and I have therefore not cooked anything from it yet, but I wanted to include it anyway: if her former book is any indication, this is going to be a favourite. From what I can see looking at the recipes, Sirocco is even more relaxed in it’s approach – Middle East is definitely the inspiration behind it, but these are not traditional dishes. Six-Hour Eastern-Spiced Pork Belly has my name written all over it, but I think the first thing I’m going to make is a simple recipe for oven-baked sweet potatoes and feta.

6. Diana Henry: Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons. I have written about Diana Henry before and my love for her has not changed. This is another great book for newcomers as it approaches the Middle East through the more familiar Mediterranean and also because she is probably the least intimidating cook I can think of. Some of the recipes can be quite complex, however: someday I’ll get my shit together and make that Date-Stuffed Mackerel with Spicy Broth and Couscous.

7. Yasmin Khan: The Saffron Tales. Like Sirocco, this is a new book, but I wanted to include it – and not only for its beauty (look at that cover!). Because I’m familiar with quite a few Persian recipes by now, cookbooks very rarely offer anything radically new*. Khan’s Date and Cinnamon Omelette from Tabriz, however, took me completely by surprise. I made it this morning and loved it; chicken livers in pomegranate molasses are next on the list. I suspect this book might be a substitute for Saraban if you cannot get it or want something a bit easier – there are some nice chapters bout the places and foods of Iran in there.

*I don’t mean that I’m familiar with all Iranian cooking (it’s vast and varied), just that I’m familiar with the sort of things usually presented to Western readers in mainstream cookbooks.