Think maximum flavour, minimum fuss: chef Sabrina Ghayour’s Middle-Eastern inspired recipes will add zing to your everyday’– Mail on Sunday YOU Magazine I am not a natural baker, so I work hard to perfect foolproof, crowd-pleasing recipes that work with my style of cooking. Iran has a huge nut-producing trade and pistachios are the king of Persian nuts. I first made this cake when I started doing supper clubs – we don't really have puddings in Iran.

It’s no secret — nor should it be — that I am a huge admirer of Sabrina Ghayour; indeed, all five of her books thus far have earned a starring role in CookbookCorner. The things is, with a Sabrina book you just know that the recipes will be unfussily do-able, exuberantly flavoured, and blessedly reliable. On top of which, her books are infused with her warmth, greedy impatience (and that’s a compliment in my book!) and generosity. She writes recipes that allow both beginners and more experienced cooks to create joyful food without stress, because she properly understands what is manageable within a busy life. This, her sixth book, does the same — only more so! It’s geared towards those times when shortcuts are needed, when the daily business of life doesn’t allow for protracted sessions in the kitchen, but meals need to be got on the table promptly and still give pleasure. Not that many of the recipes in Persiana Everyday couldn’t be part of the loveliest entertaining menus, too. Just to name three, let me draw your attention to her Baked Halloumi with Lemon, Thyme and Honey; Fennel, Feta, Orange & Pistachio Salad; and the beautiful Rhubarb, Rose & Pistachio Trifle Pots. Middle Eastern food can be heavy and plentiful, so you need to pair it with light, refreshing dishes that cleanse the palate and aid digestion. This is just that kind of dish – it is a perfect accompaniment to heavy meat and poultry dishes, providing a lovely fresh flavour – and it looks beautiful, too. The lightly sweetened dressing works well, counteracting the acidity, and I just love the intense crunchiness of this salad. The recipes in Persiana are laid out clearly and include a lovely chatty little blurb about the dish; a clear and usually short list of ingredients; step by step instructions and a beautiful, inspirational photo. My main complaint is that there is no guide to how long the recipes take to make. I would also have liked the steps in the method to be numbered to make it easier to find my place as I am following a recipe.

Try this recipe from the book

Aubergine is much loved and revered in eastern culture and I especially love it chargrilled, which gives an added meatiness through the charring. Saffron is the world's most expensive spice. The purest and highest grade of saffron comes from Iran and infusing some yogurt with its potency adds the perfect finish to grilled aubergines. For those of us who follow Ghayour on social media – she has a huge and enthusiastic following – we know that she lives with her charismatic mum, Mama G. In more recent times, she met and married her husband, Stephen, who brought two young boys into Ghayour’s life. She now not only leads a very busy life writing, teaching and making many appearances on TV, but she also cooks for a family. Persiana Everyday is therefore a collection of recipes that she uses in her own kitchen to get dinner on the table for a range of ages and preferences, the same dilemma any family faces. These recipes will satisfy your taste buds whether you are cooking for one or two, a family or a meal for friends. Grind the saffron (if using) with a pestle and mortar, then pour over the 2 tbsp of boiling water and leave to infuse.

Preheat a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Fill the pan with boiling water and add the rice with a generous handful of crumbled sea salt. Boil for 6-8 minutes until the rice is parboiled. You will know it is parboiled when the colour of the grains turns from the normal dullish white to a more brilliant white and the grains become slightly elongated and begin to soften.I don't think she could write a dull recipe if she tried. Every one an elegantly spiced delight." - Tom Parker Bowles To make the meatballs, preheat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Put all the ingredients, except the oil, in a large mixing bowl and, using your hands, mix everything together really well for 6-8 minutes, ensuring you break up all the clumps of lamb so that everything is combined and the mixture is smooth – this will make for light and smooth meatballs. Sabrina Ghayour’s Middle-Eastern plus food is all flavour, no fuss – and makes me very, very happy’– Nigella Lawson