Don’t know your freekeh from your fattoush? Your maftoul from your mansaf? No worries. Jibrin has the answers.

Don’t know your freekeh from your

fattoush? 

Your maftoul from your mansaf?

Basbouseh

Not to worry, if the answer is no. We have a heads up for you on a newly published book, Jibrin, that not only tells you all about the stories behind these Middle Eastern dishes but will help you produce a few at home! You'll be in the expert hands of Palestinian couple Izzeddeen Alkarajeh and Eman Aburabi who own and run the Cork favourite, Café Izz.

You'll also get to know the story behind the authors who came to Ireland with their four children in 2016. After initial success at the local farmers' markets (Mahon Point and Douglas), they took a significant step in 2019 when they opened their well-loved Izz Café on Georges Quay, Cork. 

Eman is a Palestinian chef and ensures the highest standards in the kitchen. Izz is a Palestinian entrepreneur who, among other things, looks after the cafe's online business. Another key figure, whose contribution over the years has helped the authors considerably, is Chef Habib Alostaz, and they acknowledge that they "owe him an enormous debt of gratitude".

Musakhan rolls

Jibrin, the latest in the ever-growing Blasta series, is packed with recipes that guide you on a culinary tour of their homeland, including Batata Mahshi (stuffed potatoes), Mansaf (Jordanian Lamb in yoghurt sauce), and Makdous (pickled baby aubergines). If you can't find a particular ingredient, why not check out Izz online?

While hanging around for the book's launch date, I got a little impatient and headed over to the source at George's Quay. I had a little list from the book and made my order. It was, unluckily, a take-out only day, but we must have been looking hungry and were generously allowed a window seat - Palestinians believe that if you let your guests down, you let yourself down! No danger of that in George's Quay, and soon our order for Musakhan (Page 38), their beef/lamb sumac dish (Page 36) on their own flatbread, and a gorgeous Basbouseh Dessert (Page 60), were soon being tested.

Our list had also included Falafel, Hummus, Zaatar and more. "Too much!" we were told, and they were correct. Even that dessert was not touched until later on that evening at home - it had been very carefully transported!

We started off with Musakhan Rolls. Musakhan is the national dish of Palestine and usually features sumac-infused chicken with caramelised onions on taboon bread. The name means"heated", referring to the sumac's tangy warmth. We enjoyed a slightly different take on the dish by ordering the rolls: succulent chicken, onions, and aromatic sumac drizzled with olive oil, all rolled in thin flatbread, served alongside a cool natural yogurt dip. It was a great start as we shared our rolls, the sumac's citrusy tang was not a problem to the Cork palates, adding flavour more than heat.

Sumac comes from berries of the same name and you read about them on pages 36/37. It also featured in our next dish: their Beef/lamb (above) with added shredded cheese. The full menu description was: Savour tender, low-fat Irish beef finely minced with fresh parsley, onions, mint, tomatoes, and green peppers. A signature spice blend featuring fragrant Palestinian sumac, lemon juice, and pomegranate molasses adds a tangy, aromatic finish. Another gem from the Izz kitchen. 

Sumac berries. Via
Oneconscious at English Wilipedia

Basbouseh (ours was nearly boxed and safely carried home) is a Middle Eastern dessert classic made with semolina, coconut, eggs, yoghurt, and a hint of fragrant rose water. Baked until golden and drenched in sweet syrup for a moist, irresistible treat. No wonder this enticing cake, decorated with dried rose petals, desiccated coconut and finely chopped pistachios, with its subtle floral notes, is a treat in Palestine, Egypt and beyond. And, now in Ireland! 

Indeed, it may well be a good way to start using this recipe book. The ingredients are readily available and all you need to know is in Jibrin!

Jibrin is #15 in the Blasta series (little books, big voices), a series that has come in for much praise from experts in the field. Jay Rayner's comment is typical: "Blasta books... are smart, beautifully written and gorgeously designed. They are that ideal thing: both functional cookbooks and delightful, sassy objects." Hardcover, small format and illustrated by Irish artists Ciara Coogan and Nicky Hooper, the widely available cookbooks are released four times a year as a quarterly periodical series. More here.