The Oldest Kitchen in the World: 4,000 Years of Middle Eastern Cooking

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From the world's oldest recorded cuneiform recipes, some 4,000 years ago, there is a straight line to the kitchen of Smuni Turan. Her recipes have been collected by her son in this cookbook.

The Oldest Kitchen in the World describes both the oldest cuisine in the world and the culture of the Assyrians. Now scattered all over the world, they all still speak dialects of Aramaic, and more importantly: they still cook the dishes that all Middle Eastern kitchens are indebted to.

“A rare and fascinating introduction to an ancient, delicious cuisine. This cookbook is one of the best of its kind–with recipes that honor the past. Straight from the heart and kitchen of Matay's mother.”—Nigel Slater, food writer, journalist, and author of A Cook’s Book

Author Bio

Matay de Mayee was born in Hengelo as the child of one of the first Suryoye (also called Assyrians or Arameans) established in the Netherlands. In 2020, he opened De Stijlkamer Amsterdam, a high-end B&B in a historic canal house, which he also uses for culinary events or as a photo and film location. With The Oldest Kitchen in the World he makes his debut as a cookbook author.

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 1/4 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and fibers
removed
2 onions, grated
6 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Cumin seeds
2 pinches of ground cayenne
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 ½-in. Fresh ginger, peeled
and finely chopped
2 cups coconut cream
salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Topping
4 to 6 tbsp. Crème fraiche or olive oil
4 to 6 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp. Cumin seeds, toasted

Cut the pumpkin into small pieces. Sauté the onions in a large pan with the olive oil, cumin seeds, cayenne, garlic, and ginger. Add the pumpkin and sauté for 5 minutes without browning. Pour in the coconut cream and cook for about 30 minutes until everything is tender. If there is not enough liquid in the pan, a splash of water may be added. Blend the soup in a blender until it’s smooth or use an immersion blender in the pan. Strain the soup. If necessary, push the last remaining soup through the sieve with the rounded side of a spoon. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup with a tablespoon of crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds added to each bowl and a sprinkle of cumin seeds. Serve with breadsticks.