Za’atar: Essence of the Middle East
Posted by Supal on May 16, 2011 in Condiments, Featured, Photos, Recipes, Reviews
Tags: middle east, oregano, pine nuts, salt, sesame seeds, spices, sumac, summery savory, thyme, Za'atar
This post is by Eat With Me contributor Supal. Check out Simple Cooking With Supal!
What made the Middle East so appealing to me was the history behind the cuisine. Not only are there traditions within regions and countries, but also within families. Middle Eastern food in general is slow cooked and light in flavors focusing primarily on meats interaction with herbs. In particular, a Middle Eastern herb mix that is always kept in abundance in every household in the Arabian Peninsula, Levant and Iraq, is known as za’atar.
Za’atar is used a condiment, seasoning and/or marinade in Arab and Isreali cuisines. It is a term used to identify a collection of herbs. From what I have tasted, za’atar is a mixture of toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, salt, and some other Mediterranean herbs. The recipe for za’atar changes per region and family. Historically, recipes are shared within the family and never shared with anyone outside of the family–which is why it is difficult to figure out what exact ingredients go into za’atar. Today, each country has its own speciality to add to za’atar. In a Palestinian household, women add caraway seeds for a more earthy flavor, while a Lebanese family would include dried sumac berries, which lighten the texture and add a hint of red to the mix.
The Mediterranean spice mix was used as early as Ancient Egypt, during the Pharonic times. This was concluded when remains of thymbra spicata was found in King Tut’s tomb. Additionally, Pliny the Elder, a Roman natural/biological philosopher, shared that the herb maron was used heavily by Parthian Kings of modern Persia in the 1st century CE. Finally, many Arab and Jewish philosophers including Saadiah and Ibn Ezra identified ezov, mentioned in the Jewish scriptures, as za’atar.
Wondering how to eat it or use it? I’ve been to Egyptian cafes where I’ve ordered hummus and pita, which has been accompanied by za’atar. In Jordan, I’ve had the pleasure of trying za’atar manakeesh, which is when za’atar is sprinkled on uncooked pita and then baked and served with greek yogurt. If you’re hosting a barbecue, you can season meats and vegetables before grilling it. In Palestine, I had the pleasure of starting off with a breakfast of champions with za’atar mixed with greek yogurt and pita for breakfast. Finally, in the Gulf, za’atar is added to boiling water to make an herbal tea. So take your pick, how would you like your za’atar?
Now, I got to learn a few things about making za’atar and even got in on a secret recipe when I was traveling through the Middle East. Although, you can purchase packets of za’atar from Middle Eastern markets and speciality stores, try out this recipe and let me know what you think!
Just combine the following in a food processor or spice grinder:
1/2 cup dried thyme
1 tsp. summery savory
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbs. sumac
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. toasted white sesame seeds
1 tbs. pine nuts
