Za’atar Spice

As noted in my last post, while in Israel I ran across lots of fresh juice stands, gummy candies, and falafel dishes. But I also brought home a little piece of the Middle East in the form of a bag of za'atar, an herb mixture that is very common in Israel and used in lots of Arab cuisine. It can come in different variations, but is usually a combination of herbs such as thyme, oregano, and marjoram that is then mixed with sesame seeds, salt, and sumac. Our Israeli tour guide introduced us to za'atar on a small cobblestone street in Jerusalem by buying what looked like a giant, elongated bagel from a little bakery. With the "bagel" came with a little paper dipping packet full of za'atar. We all passed around the bread and took turns ripping off a bite-sized piece and dipping it into the dry za'atar.

When we visited the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem (the big food market, or shuk), I bought some to take home. Luckily, the airport officials did not confuse it with some illegal drugs and my little bag of green herbs made it back to the states with me. Apparently, the most common way to eat za'atar is with bread, as I first had it on my trip. An even more delicious way is to mix it with olive oil first and then eat it with pita bread, etc. You can also mix in into hummus or savory yogurt, or use it to season chicken or vegetables. I have a good sized bag, so I can't wait to try it out! You can buy za'atar at many well-stocked grocery stores, online at The Spice House or Amazon.com, or even make your own unique blend using the ingredients listed above.

The shop in Jerusalem where I bought my za'atar

Above is what I hope to create with my za'atar in the near future!