“Being a travelling monk in sixteenth-century Sicily couldn’t have been easy. During Lent, the season of austerity preceding Easter, monks were expected to hike on foot day after day for forty days, ministering to the faithful across the land. Although they were able to stop at monasteries for sustenance, eating meat was prohibited…”

“There are many versions of egg curry; this is one I learnt from a Singaporean Indian friend, who in turn learnt and adapted it from her mum. The fennel seeds give an aniseed fragrance that’s common to many Tamil curries, tomatoes and tamarind lend a sweet-sour tang, while the coconut milk (just a tiny drizzle!) adds a touch of creaminess…

“The Turkish love pumpkin in desserts (either baked in its own juice with sugar or poached in syrup) and baklava are a legacy of the Ottoman palace kitchens. Baked in a round tray and sliced into wedges, havuç dilimi is one of our traditional baklava shapes and traditionally walnuts…

“Makloubeh is one of the national dishes of Palestine. Each home, family, and region make makloubeh differently. But traditionally, there are two types: aubergine (eggplant) makloubeh with lamb, and cauliflower makloubeh with chicken…

“The sight of mouthwatering charcoal-grilled barbecued chicken is common in Palestine. On sunny days, every household begins barbecuing whole chickens marinated in beautiful local flavors. At the same time, in every town, there is at least one restaurant…