Sami Tamimi’s recipes for spiced bulgur balls with pomegranate, with a herby fennel side salad

Sami Tamimi’s kbeibat bulgur with spring onion and pomegranate. Photograph: Ola O Smit/The Guardian. Food and prop styling: Kitty Coles. Food stylist assistant: Martha Loving.

I have always dreamed of a return to the golden age of Arab trade, when spices, fruits and ideas voyaged across deserts and seas, creating extraordinary food cultures through exchange and curiosity. I’ve imagined bringing new flavours home, letting them transform the kitchen – but with all the madness in today’s world, that dream must stay a dream, for now. So, these recipes become my journey, a way to reconnect with that spirit and taste the magic of the Arab golden age today.

Kbeibat bulgur with spring onion and pomegranate (pictured top)