Ramadan

Wonton wrappers are used for these samosas instead of traditional pastry dough. Betelnut Pejiu Wu in San Francisco serves them with a tropical chutney.

Orange syrup sweetens the cake and the fresh fruit that goes with it.

Known as salade méchouia, this is the most popular salad in Tunisia. Although it is lovely as a first course, it also makes a good light lunch. Serve it with bread.

In this interesting Tunisian specialty called farka, the semolina grains take a sweet turn. It is enjoyed as a breakfast dish or afternoon snack, rather than an after-dinner dessert.

Eggs are a staple of the Turkish diet. An ingredient in many dishes, they are also prepared on their own as a main course for lunch or as an appetizer for dinner. Here they are poached, set on a bed of yogurt (another staple) and drizzled with a red pepper-sage butter. The red pepper that fires up Turkish cooking - a cross between paprika and dried crushed red pepper - is much more popular than black pepper, especially outside the large cities.

Called om Ali, which means "mother of Ali," this slightly sticky and unusual dessert flavored with orange flower water is currently the most popular pudding in Egypt. In the villages it is made with bread, while in the cities a more sophisticated version is made with phyllo pastry. Orange flower water is a flavoring extract available at liquor stores and in the liquor or specialty foods section of some supermarkets nationwide.

Tarator, a creamy nut and garlic blend, is one of Turkey's finest sauces. It traditionally enhances cooked vegetables, fish or shellfish, and it is also a lovely dip for pita bread. Although the true tarator uses hazelnuts, local cooks often make it with whatever nut grows in their area.

Complement the chicken with Aromatic Yellow Rice and haricots verts or other green beans, and offer a crisp Riesling or cold Asian beer to drink. Finish the meal simply with a platter of tropical fruit.

Here is a sensational layering of cake and toffee sauce that's served warm, accompanied by whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Teamed with meats of all kinds in Moroccan cooking, dried fruits and honey impart flavor and sweetness to the sauce in this rich stew. Serve it with a Cabernet Sauvignon.

This Yemenite-style dish incorporates a highly seasoned matzo meal coating that keeps the fish moist.

"Since I moved from the West Coast to Santa Fe, I've been baking more quick breads because my recipes for yeast doughs just aren't the same without the sea air." Joan Nugent of Sante Fe, New Mexico. "A leftover can of coconut milk inspired this recipe for muffins. To guarantee that I always have something interesting for breakfast, I prepare extras and freeze them."

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr Savory pastries are a popular element of Turkish cuisine, with a seemingly endless number of shapes and fillings. These little rolls are called sigara böregi, or pastry cigars, because of their shape.

Market Tip: Avoid packaged ground lamb, which can be extremely fatty. Instead, buy shoulder meat or lamb stew meat, which has some fat, and ask the butcher to grind it.

(Ghotab) After trying several kinds, we concluded that Iranian and Turkish pistachios* have the best flavor. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 4 hr