In all cultures, sitting down to feast on a whole roast chicken, stuffed or otherwise, brings about feelings of comfort and abundance.

Meatballs with Sour Cherries is traditionally served on Arab pita bread — if you serve it on basmati rice, it would be almost unrecognisable.

If you can resist eating all the Zucchini Patties with Feta and Dill, you could prepare the patties to take on a picnic or barbecue.

Writer and photographer Saghar Setareh takes readers on an adventure around the eastern Mediterranean with her Orange Scented Rice Cake.