Za'atar

The defining seasoning of the Levantine table: dried wild thyme (Origanum syriacum) pounded with tart, ruby sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt, the herb of scripture and of breakfast, spread with olive oil over warm flatbread or scattered over labneh, eggs, and roasted vegetables

Origin: The Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan)

From the journey of Thyme.

Za'atar is at once a plant and a blend. The plant is Origanum syriacum, the wild thyme or bible hyssop of the Levantine hills, the ezov of the Hebrew Bible; the blend is that herb, dried and pounded together with sumac, toasted sesame, and salt. It is the most beloved seasoning of the Levant, and the foundation of the morning man'oushe, the za'atar flatbread baked in the village oven and eaten warm at dawn from Beirut to Nablus. Every family keeps its own ratio, some leaning on the herb, some on the tart red sumac, some adding a little cumin or roasted chickpea flour, and each recipe is quietly guarded. Because true wild za'atar is hard to find outside the region, cooks elsewhere build the blend from a base of dried thyme rounded out with oregano and marjoram, which together come close to the flavour of the original wild herb.

Ingredients

6 tbsp dried wild thyme (za'atar herb, Origanum syriacum), or a blend of 4 tbsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp dried oregano, and 1 tbsp dried marjoram
3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted until golden
2 tbsp ground sumac
0.5 tsp fine sea salt
0.5 tsp ground cumin, toasted (optional)

Method

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until evenly golden and fragrant. Tip onto a cold plate at once so they do not continue to colour, and leave to cool completely.
If your dried thyme is coarse or stalky, sift it or rub it between your palms and discard any hard stems. For a finer, more traditional texture, pound the dried herb briefly in a mortar, or pulse it once or twice in a spice grinder; it should remain a herb, not become a powder.
Combine the dried herb, cooled sesame seeds, sumac, salt, and the cumin if using in a bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until evenly distributed.
Taste a pinch on a little oil and bread. Adjust the balance to your liking: more sumac for tartness, more herb for greenness, a little more salt to bring it together.
Store in an airtight jar away from light and heat. Use within 2 to 3 months, while the herb is still fragrant and the sesame fresh.

Notes

Za'atar is far more than a flatbread topping. Stir it into olive oil as a dip for bread; fold it through labneh; scatter it over fried or poached eggs, grilled halloumi, hummus, roasted cauliflower, or chicken before roasting; or rub it onto warm flatbread brushed with oil. The single most important variable is the herb: genuine dried wild za'atar from a Levantine grocer is incomparable, but a good blend of dried thyme with a little oregano and marjoram makes an honest and delicious version.

The Gastrographer

Name: Za'atar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: The Levant
Ingredients: 6 tbsp dried wild thyme (za'atar herb, Origanum syriacum), or a blend of 4 tbsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp dried oregano, and 1 tbsp dried marjoram; 3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted until golden; 2 tbsp ground sumac; 0.5 tsp fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp ground cumin, toasted (optional)

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control