At last, a selection of recipes from the Arabian Gulf.

Evocatively named, Cardamom and Lime takes us on a tour of traditional cuisine throughout the region. The food of the Gulf is largely a combination of Indian, Persian and Turkish cuisine but it takes unique flavours from a wider region.

Introduced and prepared by Sarah Al-Hamad, the dishes have evolved from Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and yet they are simple enough to recreate at home.

Cuisine in the Arabian Gulf has long been associated with companionship and tradition, with meals an important part of daily life. The tempting dishes are arranged in five chapters: Rice, Fish and Meat, Vegetables, Desserts, Tea and Coffee.

I have picked out a generous handful of the recipes that I intend to master with the aid of Cardamom and Lime.

The first is Fragrant White Rice, or ‘aish, as the locals call it. Essentially, it is fluffy white rice flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon and saffron, topped with crispy onions.

Aromatic Rice with Dill and Broad Beans is another I shall be cooking very soon, and a more robust rice dish is the Fragrant Lamb Pilaf, which adds lamb on the bone to basmati rice, and is served with a daqous of pureed tomatoes, chilli and garlic partnered with hashou, combining dried lime, onion and raisins or sultanas.

As a hearty main dish, Chicken with Date, Prune and Nut Stuffing turns a family favourite into an exotic adventure.

Likewise, Seabass or Cod could replace the Middle-Eastern fish, Hamour, and deepens the natural flavour with a robust stuffing of nuts, coriander, and spices.

Prawns and Rice with tomatoes, potato and spices, plus ample coriander, gives new flavour to an old favourite.

There is much more, including a divine lentil soup, and an extraordinary dish called ‘The Drinker’ because of the bread that soaks up its cooking juices.

The sweet-toothed amongst you will be pleased by some heavenly desserts. Arabian Crumble is out of this world and so is the Cardamom-Saffron Sponge Cake.

The stunning photographs and descriptive features of the region make this more than a recipe book; it is a ready introduction to a part of the world that few of us are sufficiently familiar with.