Cook,

Cook,
food writer and stylist Rosie Birkett recognises the
feeling of helplessness many experience when confronted with the
situation in Syria: “The humanitarian crisis is completely
devastating and it’s easy to feel totally helpless. Being a small
part of a big movement and encouraging people to mobilise this not
just locally but globally, through the universal act of cooking and
eating, means that in some way I can try and help. I’m very proud
to be supporting this campaign.”

Birkett shares the thinking behind her recipe for crispy kale
and roast squash mujadara: “It’s inspired by mujadara, a Syrian and
Middle Eastern staple with many regional variations, based around
lentils and rice or bulgar wheat. Mine has a British twist by using
celeriac, which is in season during November to reflect the spirit
of the campaign.”

Her focus in creating a dish was to make something that was
accessible to any cook that still represented Syrian cuisine: “The
idea of raising money and awareness for UNICEF UK’s Children of
Syria fund through celebrating their cuisine was the driving force.
I wanted a dish that was relatively achievable that appealed to
everyone – something comforting and great for sharing.” In her
research, Birkett realised just how diverse and rich Syrian cuisine
is. “Most of the dishes I found out about I wanted to cook, and I
will certainly be cooking more things inspired by the cuisine in
future.”

Recipes by Rosie Birkett and others can be found in the
#CookForSyria Recipe Book, available for purchase on amazon.co.uk. All profits will be donated to
aid children affected by the crisis in Syria.