The sweetness of the dates and the sourness of the tamarind combine to give you wonderful for a sandwich or burger condiment. It is packed full of flavour and spice to create a real taste sensation.

Studded with pistachios, pomegranate seeds and raspberries, this deconstructed dessert is perfect for an elegant dinner party.

This spiced lentil and roasted kumara soup is just the ticket for those times when you're after a light, meat-free meal full of vitamins and flavour. Serve with crusty bread.

As well as adding a delightful red hue to a dish, paprika is full of the flavour of the peppers it was ground from. It comes in several varieties - sweet, smoky or spicy. We've used a combination of spicy and sweet here, with great results.

Served with a dollop of yoghurt sprinkled with sumac, these beautiful stuffed vine leaves are a perfect dish to share with friends.

Can be made two days ahead; keep, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

Harissa is a North African paste made from dried red chillies, garlic, olive oil and caraway seeds. It is available from Middle Eastern food shops and some supermarkets. Note

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. Recipe suitable to freeze without figs. Note