Chef Fadi Kattan, from Palestine, gives a tour of Bethlehem in his most recent cookbook

Chef Fadi Kattan understands that the current hunger crisis in Gaza may not be the best time to release a cookbook on Palestinian cuisine.

“I must tell you that my publisher is Jewish,” he said to Leila Fadel on Morning Edition. She said, now the book is even more important.

This is because the book is focused on saving a piece of a culture that has been damaged by many years of being moved from their homes and fighting. It’s a way of expressing love for his childhood home in the West Bank by cooking food.

“I began giving tours of the food in Bethlehem. I would bring people to the markets with me,” he explained. “I really wanted to show people that by using the recipes in the book, they can feel like they are visiting Bethlehem with me. “

The food in Bethlehem shows how diverse Palestinians are. It includes simple dishes like a salad with figs and olive oil, as well as more complex ones like spiced rice and fish. They also make a special Christmas fruitcake. With the trouble in Gaza, Kattan pleads, “We are running out of time. ” We should keep those recipes safe. We have to give them to others.

Lentil soup is a type of soup made with lentils.

“My mom makes lentil soup for us when it starts getting cold in Bethlehem, and also during Lent. ” Shorbat adas is a very healthy soup that many people think is only for people who can’t afford fast food. It’s actually a very special soup with fresh salad, radishes, spring onions, and fried bread that goes with it.