Nayran Tabiei shares a warm and comforting tea, sure to soothe the soul.

“In Iran and Syria, baghlava is said to be the queen of desserts and it’s easy to see why – it’s sticky, buttery and scented with rosewater or orange blossom water.”

“We love to eat beetroot dip in summer in Syria, it’s so refreshing and the colour is so beautiful!.”

“Muhammara, literally meaning ‘reddened’ in Arabic, is a classic Middle Eastern dip. It has a lovely texture thanks to the walnuts and the addition of a hard Syrian bread stick called kaak adds a creaminess. If you can’t find kaak, any stale bread topped with sesame seeds will be a fine substitute.”

“Barbecued eggplant, the smell of fresh mint and the bright flavour of pomegranate seeds transports me to Damascus!” – Nayran Tabiei.

“In Syria, it is a great addition to make very zesty dolmeh. We get together with the women in our family and our daughters too, spreading all of the ingredients out on a big table and spending the afternoon rolling them, drinking tea and chatting.” – Nayran Tabiei

“The ingredients are basic: meat, onions, peas, rice, nuts (almonds and pistachios or pine nuts), and a little bit of butter. You’ll find that a lot of Middle Eastern recipes use basic ingredients – no canned soups, no pre-made foods, no powder packets. This is one of the reasons why the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern diet is considered to be so healthy: fresh foods with wholesome ingredients.”

Syrian chef Nayran Tabiei brings flavours of the country she left behind to her new home in Melbourne with these easy cheese pastries. Fatayer is a delicious street food snack in Syria and the Middle East.