Imad’s Syrian Kitchen: The Sunday Times bestseller full of the delicious flavours of Syria, with authentic recipes and true stories of life as a refugee

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He received asylum seeker status and was reunited with his family, who joined him in the UK a year after he began his journey. We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. The copy of the book I have is subtitled “A Love Letter from Damascus to London”, and it is book showing the deep affection the author has for his homeland of Syria, and his gratitude to Britain for giving himself and his family asylum here. The first chapter features spice mixes, such as dukkah, Baharat and shish taouk, while the second focuses on the basics, including the plain bulgur needed in the recipes for tabbouleh and mujadara, or a perfect tahini sauce which Alarnab says he uses "for everything.

Imad will introduce us to the delicious flavours and techniques of the Syrian kitchen – showing you just how easy this wonderful cuisine can be. The only complaint I have, is that when water needs to be added (to lentils, bulgar wheat etc) we are directed to add enough to come so many centimetres above the dried food. Many of the dishes that have become signatures at Alarnab’s London restaurant feature, including the falafel, which are strikingly shaped with hole in the middle for a ‘crispier texture’.Only one recipe had an ingredient I was not able to get: sour cherry molasses for the ‘Saroja’ (fried baby aubergines with cheeses). 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. Interspersed with the recipes is the story of how he came to London – a tale that mirrors that of so many desperate refugees seeking asylum here. 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’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.Imad Alarnab says his new life began while he was stranded for 64 days in Calais as a Syrian refugee in 2015.