Beyond hummus: Palestinians cook up new food trends

FROM the ancient alleys of Jerusalem’s Old City to kitchens around the world, Palestinians are stirring new trends in cooking while abiding by traditions. The trend has whipped up a growing appetite for specialised books and food tours.

“It’s changing for the better, I think. Many Palestinians are keen on promoting their foods,” said Nassar Odeh, as oven aromas wafted over a Jerusalem street. The Palestinian entrepreneur has spent the past few months watching gourmands drift in and out of his new eatery, Taboon, named after the traditional clay oven.

Customers are tucking into dishes such as Armenian lahmajoon, a thin pizza with ground meat and spices which Odeh remembers being sold to hungry crowds in the Old City decades earlier.