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Julie Awad

The Art of Cooking from Scratch

Spices · September 10, 2020

Za’atar

First of all, za’atar (wild thyme) is an herb and a spice blend. The herb is native to the Levant region (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel). The spice is a special combination of dried wild thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt. This mixture has a tangy, herbal, nutty taste and is commonly use by families that proudly make their own blend by adapting the ingredients and proportions to their liking.

Wild thyme

Unfortunately, wild thyme is not readily available and I have substituted whole dried thyme, just know it will have a slightly different flavor. If you’re fortunate enough to have access to the wild thyme, by all means use it, the flavor is subtle but distinctive!

Sumac

The dark purplish-red powder of sumac add a citrusy flavor with a slightly tart taste, giving za’atar its lemony tanginess. This spice is made from the edible sumac berry which have been dried, crushed, and then ground. Ground sumac may be found at a Middle Eastern market, spice store, or on Amazon.

Sesame seeds

Toasting the sesame seeds yourself will enhance the nuttiness and crunchy texture of the za’atar. I have very fond memories of my Lebanese mother-in-law sending us a large cloth bag full of her homemade za’atar which always included extra toasted sesame seeds.

Ways to use za’atar

Some of my favorite ways to use za’atar is sprinkled on eggs, eaten with labneh (creamy yogurt cheese), used as seasoning for meats, vegetables, and roasted potatoes, or mixed with olive oil to be spread over dough making man’oushe that would then be baked in a hot oven.

Za’atar

by Julie Awad
Approximately ½ cup
Ingredients
¼ cup dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sumac
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Method
Give the thyme and marjoram a quick blitz in a food processor or spice grinder until mixed (don’t grind it so much that it becomes a powder, but grind it until there are no large stems). Work in batches if you are doubling or tripling the recipe. Mix blended herbs with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust to your liking. Store in an airtight container for several months.

Notes

Mix za’atar and olive oil together in even amounts for spreading on dough to make man’oushe. It may be served as a dip, drizzled over sliced tomatoes, used as a compliment to yogurt, or sprinkled on stews.
Summer savory or oregano may be substituted for the marjoram.
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