5 of the best new cookbooks for autumn

1. Sian's Kitchen: Caribbean Comfort Cooking by Sian Anderson

Carnival, £22
In her second cookbook, DJ, presenter and restaurateur Sian Anderson tells the story of Caribbean culture in the UK through food. Her own culinary tastes were shaped by her British upbringing, as well as her St Lucian and Jamaican heritage and frequent trips to the islands — all of which led her to open Octaves, a modern Caribbean restaurant, in London’s Stoke Newington last year. In Sian’s Kitchen, Anderson calls on famous friends — radio host Julie Adenuga and rappers Big Narstie and Big Zuu — to share their favourite recipes and Caribbean food memories alongside her own. Expect twists on classics, such as jerk steak, as well as traditional favourites including ackee and saltfish, and vegan alternatives like curried jackfruit. All of it is accompanied by sweet punches — notably, a Guinness version with condensed and vanilla milk, spices and Angostura bitters. Many of the dishes are created for feasts with friends, with curated recipe lists for occasions such as a big brunch and a Sunday lunch, and pair perfectly with Anderson’s Caribbean-inspired playlists.

2. Persian Feasts by Leila Heller

Phaidon, £34.95
In her new book, international art dealer Heller turns her attention to Persian history, art and culture, as seen from her family dinner table. Among this collection of her mother’s recipes are stuffed aubergine and a pistachio soup topped with pomegranate seeds and rose petals.

3. Mangal II: Stories and Recipes by Ferhat Dirik & Sertaç Dirik

Phaidon, £34.95
Mangal II is an east London institution, run by the Dirik brothers, who took over the restaurant from their father. In this book, essays celebrating their area’s creativity and community complement reimagined Turkish recipes, such as sourdough pide and cull yaw (mutton) köfte with grilled apple sauce.

4. Agak-Agak by Sham Hanifa

Blasta Books, £13
Ireland-based chef Hanifa grew up in Taiping, northwest Malaysia, and draws inspiration from his Thai, Chinese, Indian and Malay heritage. In Agak-Agak the balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy comes to the fore in dishes such as Hainanese chicken rice and crab laksa.

5. The Balkan Kitchen by Irina Janakievska

Hardie Grant, £27
Macedonian-British writer and Ottolenghi Test Kitchen alumna Janakievska explores cuisines from across the former Yugoslavia, a cultural — and culinary — crossroads. Sarajevo-style burek pastries sit alongside ajvar, a Serbian red pepper and aubergine relish, and sweets including chocolate baklava.