Delightful Tastes Await: Three Middle Eastern Dishes with Compact Servings
In the culinary world, Noor Murad's latest cookbook, "Lugma," has been making waves. Published on August 6, 2025, this remarkable book features a unique blend of Arabic, Indian, and Persian cuisines, inspired by Murad's childhood and her English mother.
One of the standout recipes in "Lugma" is the Labneh-Loomi-Flan. This dessert is a delightful fusion of flavours, requiring the preparation of Labneh a day before. To make Labneh, combine 450g of natural yogurt with 1/4 tsp of fine sea salt, line a sieve with a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel, and refrigerate overnight.
The flan itself is a smooth mixture of 180g of Labneh, 250g of sweetened condensed milk, 250ml of full milk, 120g of crème double or cream, 3 large organic eggs, 1 organic egg yolk, 1 tsp of vanilla paste, 3/4 tsp of sea salt flakes, and more for sprinkling. Blend all these ingredients in a blender on high speed until smooth.
Before baking, prepare a caramel by heating 140g of fine sugar with water, cooking until bubbling but not yet browned, adding black lime (seeds removed and finely ground), and cooking until deep amber. Pour this caramel into the flan dish or baking dish, and then pour the flan mixture on top.
Bake the flan in an oven preheated to 150°C (convection) for about 45-50 minutes until the cream has set but is still soft in the middle. The baking process involves boiling water in a kettle, placing the baking sheet with the mold into the oven, pouring enough boiling water into the sheet to reach halfway up the mold, and baking as usual.
If desired, sprinkle sea salt flakes and black lime on the flan before serving.
Another intriguing recipe in "Lugma" is Zahra Bilaban Cauliflower with Warm Yogurt and Paprika Butter. The cauliflower is baked in the oven until browned and tender. Meanwhile, the yogurt is heated with garlic, butter, paprika powder, cumin seeds, mint leaves, coriander leaves, lemon, and pomegranate seeds. Once the cauliflower is ready, combine it with the yogurt mixture and serve.
Yet another recipe that catches the eye is Halloumi with Spicy Olives and Walnuts. The halloumi is fried in olive oil and maple syrup, then baked in an oven until soft in the middle. The salsa for this dish includes a variety of ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, coriander seeds, Aleppo chili flakes, roasted red peppers, rose harissa, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, walnut halves, pitted Nocellara olives, mint leaves, parsley leaves, pomegranate molasses, and garlic.
Noor Murad, a Bahraini chef, has worked at Yotam Ottolenghi's London restaurant Spitalfields and Kafer at the Bahrain Formula 1 track. Her unique culinary journey and innovative recipes make "Lugma" a must-have for any food lover.
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