Zaatar a Middle East Spice Blend

Zaatar is one of the oldest known spice blends. Already in ancient Egypt, this mixture of spices was prepared on a basis of thyme, various spices and sesame.

The remains of Thymbra spicata, a variety of thyme used in zaatar essentially were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen.

According to the Greek botanist Dioscorides, the Egyptians named this plant Saem. At the same time, Pliny the Elder wrote about a mixture of herbs used in the “Regale Unguentum”, a blend of spices used by the Parthian kings. In the Jewish tradition, Saadiah, Ibn Ezra, Maimonides and Obadiah ben Abraham identified the ezov mentioned in the Hebrew Bible with the Arabic word za'atar. Ezov is particularly associated with ceremonies of ritual purity, such as the preparation of ashes used to prevent bodily contaminations. In the twelfth century, Maimonides described the use of the za'atar in contemporary cuisine.

The zaatar spice blend has (from medieval times to present) been a staple of Arab cuisine throughout the Middle East.

Very versatile, the mixture zaatar supports very well cooking, and is consumed without problems raw. In Lebanon, it is often eaten with olive oil, whether in marinade with white meats or fish, or simply directly spread on bread. In the morning, at breakfast, they prepare manakish, which are small cakes with zaatar.

In the cold kitchen, zaatar is also used to flavor vegetable salads, tomatoes, or dishes more typical of Jewish and Levantine cuisines, such as hummus, for example. In general, zaatar can be used almost everywhere, with all types of meat, fish, vegetables, and its use will be limited only by your imagination! It will give roundness, warmth and consistency to all your preparations.

The basic ingredients are; Thyme, sumac and sesame seeds in equal parts.

More elaborated versions can include; sage, marjoram, savory and Breckland (creeping) thyme in lesser quantities.

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