They come in a variety of different flavors and textures, most of it is not too spicy, more using herbs to accentuate the natural flavors of a lot of the dishes.
Whether it is the Galilean Kebab Halabi, which is a kebab with a spicy tomato sauce and Aleppo pepper, a Mandi, which is meat, rice and vegetables in a special type of oven called a taboon, or Maqluba, which is native to the Gaza and is an eggplant, meat, rice and cauliflower casserole, there is something to satisfy all tastebuds.
So where can you find the best Palestinian cookbooks written by female chefs(see also: 6 Female Chef Vintage Cookbooks You Do Not Want To Miss)? What are the best Palestinian cookbooks for beginners? Do these cookbooks cover all the Palestinian regional dishes?
Well, we’ve compiled a brief list of some of the best female chef Palestinian cookbooks on the market.
What Is Palestinian Cuisine?
Palestinian food is classed as the foods that are largely eaten by the diaspora that have settled in Palestine and the surrounding territories, including various refugee camps.
Each region has its emphasis on certain foods and ways of cooking.
For example, the West Bank uses more bread and meat than some other areas of Palestine, whereas Gaza has more variety when it comes to seafood and spicy dishes.
The general flavor palate of Palestinian food is generally mild with the occasional flare of spice. A lot of the food is well cooked, giving it that melt-in-the-mouth texture.
There are also plenty of sweet foods, some of which are enjoyed throughout the year, others are reserved for special holidays. Most of these sweets are pastries that are coated in nuts such as pistachios or walnuts.
So where can you find the best cookbooks that will teach you how to make all of these sumptuous dishes?
Well, we have compiled a list of some of the best cookbooks for Palestinian food and all of them are written by female chefs.
This is a cookbook that focuses on the meals that you would find in Palestinian homes rather than those you would find sold by street vendors.
These recipes are cultivated from things that the author’s mother and grandmother passed down to her. There are plenty of diverse recipes to choose from.
Whether it is tangy yogurt and chickpea hummus, spiced rice with lamb neck, or honeyed dumplings, you can make something for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The recipes are easy to understand and come with color pictures.
Pros
This comes with a few hundred great reviews
Wonderful color photographs
Home-cooked Palestinian recipes
Great for beginners
Cons
Some people have reported consistency issues with the final dish
This next cookbook contains dishes that are gleaned from all over Palestine. This includes national dishes like Dawali, Shawarma, Baklawa and Musakhan, which is the national dish of Palestine.
This is a great cookbook to use if you are cooking for some Palestinian friends. There are also breakfast recipes, full-bodied main meals and desserts.
This is ideal for beginners who like to dabble in other cultures and experts in Arab food who want to flex their culinary muscles. This also comes with some high-definition color pictures.
This is the story of the Arab diaspora in Palestine told from the perspective of the chefs that made the dishes that are famous in the region today.
If you like a blend of travel, politics and history with your cookbooks, then this is the one for you. There are recipes for lamb dishes, rice dishes, flatbreads, dips and sauces.
This book is evocatively written and features some of the author’s illustrations. It features dishes like Salatet Fattoush, Falafel Mahshi, Mujaddarra, Hummus Bil Awarma and many more.
This book focuses on the region of Gaza and the multiplicity of dishes that it has on offer. This covers spices, stews, creamy dips, desserts, and sides.
If you want to put on your own Gazan spread, then this cookbook could be your bible.
There are also plenty of stories that come with these recipes, so you can learn a little bit about the history of each one and how they came to taste the way they taste.
This also has glorious color pictures of Gazan chefs at work in their kitchens. Who knows, it might inspire you to pay a visit to Palestine.
Pros
A great study of Gazan cuisine
130 recipes from Gaza
Covers every dish for every time of day
A great starting point for beginners and experts
Cons
Some readers are not fans of the book’s political dimensions
This book is full of love as the author details her memories of cooking Gazan dishes. It is brimming with fragrant recipes including rice and meat dishes, breakfasts and desserts.
It covers year-round dishes as well as seasonal and celebratory ones, such as wedding foods.
This cookbook comes with plenty of color pictures of the food, which will certainly help you when you are making it, as you’ll know what the final product should look like.
This is a great starting point for expert chefs who are looking to branch out into this type of cuisine.
Pros
A diverse array of Gazan foods
Fragrant and flavorful foods
Lots of color photographs
Traditional cuisine
Cons
Some of the recipes might be too daunting for casual cooks
This features around 100 recipes and is brimming with local knowledge and personal histories of each one.
There are also tips for preparing many of the foods, all of which are given with much humor, easing the way for many inexperienced chefs.
This has recipes for Palestinian dishes such as ful m'dammas, kidreh, and djaj mahshi.
Each of these dishes is packed with rice, meat and vegetables and is great for anyone looking to switch up their normal diet to something with more protein and nutrients.
Pros
Over 100 Palestinian recipes
A witty and engaging read
Features many seasonal dishes
A vivid description of many cooking methods
Cons
This might not teach anything new to experts on Arab cooking
Best Female Chef Palestinian Cookbooks Buying Guide
When shopping for a decent Palestinian cookbook, here are some things to look out for:
Different Regions
There are a few cookbooks that deal with specific regions, whereas others are more broad in their remit and cover the whole country.
Easy To Understand
If you are inexperienced with Palestinian cuisine, then you want something easy to understand and practical to follow. The ingredients should also be easy to source from your local supermarket.
Meats like lambs are very popular in Palestine, as are various types of seafood, especially in Gaza. There is also a penchant for rice and peppers and spices are the order of the day for a lot of meals.
What Are Popular Palestinian Dishes?
Some of the common foods include knafeh, Jericho dates, olive oil, freekeh, musakhan, taboon and kebabs.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
