Anissa Helou

These date-filled cookies—qrass bil-tamr—are a typical Ramadan sweet, offered to guests and snacked on during the night before the fast begins again at dawn.

Tagines are typical street food in Morocco, and this is the one that is most commonly found, except that street vendors cut the potatoes into small dice and I prefer to use new potatoes, which I leave whole if they are very small or halve if they are medium.

Using dates as the primary sweetener here means a lot less sugar in the ice cream, making it ideal for those who need to cut down on sugar but still want something sweet.

In this Indonesian satay, the dipping sauce is used as a marinade to give the meat more intense flavor.

In this recipe for classic Turkish kebabs, lamb marinates in tomato paste and a mix of spices—including cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cumin—before hitting the grill.

This is a wonderful dip with a subtle flavor of caramelized onion and saffron and a silky texture offset by the lovely crunch of the walnut garnish.

These date-filled cookies are a typical Ramadan sweet.

The meatballs are rolled in millet and then fried for a delicious, crunchy texture.

With lamb rib chops, we insist you leave the fat on the bone.

As the lamb cooks inside the pita, the fat will render into the bread, creating a crunchy, compact, vibrantly flavored meat pie that’s unlike any burger you’ve ever had.

Warming the honey with rose water infuses it with flavor.

A proper tabbouleh will be mainly vegetables and herbs, with just a smattering of bulgur threaded through.

Red pepper paste gives this garlic-free hummus its color and smoky-sweet flavor; find it in Middle Eastern markets or online.

The turnips will taste great after just one week in the pickling liquid, but for that full-on saturated pink hue, let them sit for two full weeks.

Dark-meat chicken is the best for grilling: Unlike lean breasts, thighs have plenty of fat, so they won’t dry out.

Briefly cooking the tomatoes is key—the finished sauce should still be very fresh-tasting.