Za'atar, Zah'tar, Zaatar, Zahtar or What

Now, here is a confusing topic for you! Zah'tar. Or any of the other spellings above or even others. 

Many years ago, I heard of the herb and spice blend called zah'tar and looked up recipes, chose what sounded "right," to my completely untrained eye and palate of the time. I set the recipe out here in my blog, and so it has remained.

With time, even in the intervening years since 2014 when I wrote that blog, so much more is now open to us on the internet. The world has opened up and so much information, even as confusing as it can be, is there for anyone to read. 

I love recipes. I love to find something new, then look up every version of that recipe I can find. I compare and see what one person considers important versus another. What flavor profiles are sought after. 

Most of all? When I discover a new spice or herb I haven't previously known, I seek it out. ASAP! As Indian food has been my main hobby for literally years and years, I have two large bins of spice jars and tins, store bought single spices and truly, the  home made blends / masalas I've made would take up at least another bin.

Now, I am looking into Middle Eastern cuisine. I got interested while watching videos by Mark Wiens. We really have enjoyed these videos. I decided to try some of the foods out, finding recipes that sounded like what I'd seen on the videos. I tried out a bunch of recipes and made a little feast for my family on my birthday. I found I liked a lot of what I made, very much. I decided to try some more. And, funny thing, when I am searching out recipes, I end up with questions. What actually is this ingredient? What is really in this spice blend? 

Zaatar, and Zah'tar

Zah'tar Blend

Now, to the point. today I decided to delve more deeply into what really constitutes Zah'tar, the blend of herbs and spices so widely used in the Middle east. Which then led me to examine this supposed "wild thyme" that is so crucial to a good zah'tar blend. This is what I found:

Zaatar is an herb that grows wild all across the Middle East. 

Zah’tar (or many other possible spellings) is an herb and spice blend used all over the Middle East. 

Zaatar is often referred to as “thyme or wild thyme.” Yet, the zaatar herb (Origanum syriacum), the biblical hyssop, is actually in the oregano family, variously described as tasting similar to thyme, or oregano or even marjoram. It grows wild all across the Middle East, along with Origanum vulgare (common oregano) and Origanum majorana (marjoram) and these three species are often confused due to their similar characteristics. Thus, it may be any of these oreganos that end up being a part of the Zah’tar blend.

Yet, the thyme plant (Thymus vulgaris), while common and native to the Middle East along with (and often confused with) Thymus capitatus, a native wild thyme, also often referred to as “hyssop,” (confused yet?) are what ends up somehow as the descriptor for the herb “zaatar” that is used in the spice blend, Zah’tar. What?????

So, as it turns out, people use whichever is available, whether the true zaatar herb, one of the wild oreganos or one of the wild thymes when making their Zah’tar.

What Comprises the Spice Blend, Zah'tar?

As per my usual style, I have looked through 8 different recipes, glossing over any that nearly dismissed the herbal component, or those that skimped on sumac. The variations are all over the place from 1/2 cup of zaatar herb and a teaspoon of sumac (which will be "green zah'tar"), to 4 tablespoons sumac and 3 tablespoons herbs.

Some swear that a "green zah'tar" is preferable as it is the zaatar herb that is the important part. Sesame seeds are a part of zah'tar no matter where you find the recipe, though again the amount ranges from 1/4 cup to 1 1/2 teaspoons. These measurements are from recipes that make approximately a half cup total. 

In short, the ingredients for zah'tar blend are zaatar herb (or equal parts dried oregano, marjoram and thyme to approximate zaatar flavor), toasted raw sesame seeds, ground sumac, salt.

Ground Sumac

As the herb zaatar is covered above, here is a little on sumac, as well:

The Mediterranean spice, Sumac is not from the same plant as poison sumac, though it is in the same family. The sumac used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines grows wild only in those areas, so no chance of running afoul of the wrong plant. The dried, crushed fruits yield a reddish brown powder with a tangy, lemony flavor and fruity sourness and astringency. Sumac is an important component of the spice mixture called Zah'tar. Sumac on its own can be sprinkled over most any food that needs a little zip. Sprinkle it over hummus, yogurt, avocado or cheese. In the Middle East it is liberally sprinkled onto many foods as they are ready to eat, and shakers or bowls of sumac are always available at table.

What if you cannot fine the zaatar herb? Substitute a combination of dried oregano leaves, dried marjoram leaves and dried thyme leaves, either in like amounts or as preferred. If one of the three is not available, try for at least two of them.

Sesame seeds need to be the raw kind, not the polished little shiny ones like you'd find on a hamburger bun. Raw sesame seeds are a pale tan in color and not at all shiny or polished. This kind will toast nicely, where the polished ones will want to burn.

There is no real substitute for sumac. It is a sour component that something like dried lemon rind would not mimic. But it is easy enough these days to get dried sumac on our favorite easy place online, or in Middle East markets, and even in some groceries. 

Zaatar herb is also available in some places, but be sure the label states Origanum syriacum. I just bought a pouch of the zah'tar blend online, being sure it mentioned the Origanum syriacum on the label, just to see what the real thing tastes like. 

In light of all I have learned, this will be my new Zah'tar recipe. I am using here an equal parts combination of the three flavoring herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram) in lieu of the zaatar herb, as I still do not own any of that. Should you have access to the actual zaatar herb, Origanum syriacum, simply substitute all three tablespoons of that.

Zah'tar

Yields less than 1/2 cup

1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds

2 tablespoons ground sumac

1 tablespoon dried marjoram leaves

1 tablespoon  dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Heat a dry skillet and once hot, add in the raw sesame seeds and stir with a wooden spoon to keep them moving around to toast evenly. They will begin to snap and bounce all over the place, so very important to have them in movement. After a short while they will begin to change color to a slightly deeper, warmer tan color. Remove them from heat and pour out to a bowl to cool. Do not leave them in the pan or they will continue to toast, and run the risk of burning. 

Once cooled, either do a quick whiz in a spice grinder to break some up or use a mortar and pestle. You want some of them broken up, but definitely not powdered. Set them aside. Add the sumac, and them add the dried herbs, rubbing them well between the palms of your hands before adding to the bowl. Stir in the salt and mix everything well to evenly distribute.

Taste for salt. Then store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid in a cool, dark place, or in the refrigerator, if it will not be used up in a reasonable amount of time. 

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Pinterest.

Learning About Falafel

I had heard of falafel for a very long time. With all the foods I have made and eaten, I had never yet tried falafel, and yesterday I wondered to myself why that might be? I have no good response for that question in my mind, so I did what I usually do. I  went online and looked up falafel, and read, and read some more, and then more. All in all I spent about 3½ hours reading about falafel, what they are, how they are made, the differences between recipes, the "right" and "wrong" ways of going about making them.

Falafel in flatbread with hummus, cucumber and arugula

While 3½ hours online does not an expert make, still, I learned quite a bit. Though I had heard the word falafel, knew it was a food, and even that I believed they were fried, that is about the sum total of my knowledge until yesterday. What they were made of was a total unknown. So, here are some things I learned:

• Falafel are made from a base of chickpeas and/or fava beans.
• While many use canned chickpeas, they do not provide the correct consistency, thus necessitating the addition of flour (wheat, chickpea or other), baking soda, and sometimes even egg to bind the mixture enough to shape.
• Falafel are traditionally made into round balls and deep fried.
• Falafel are eaten as street food in many Middle Eastern countries.
• The word "falafel" can refer to the little fried balls themselves, or to the "sandwich" made of them using pita bread.
• Falafel are high in complex carbohydrates, proteins and fiber and contain no cholesterol until they are fried.
• Falafel are often served alongside hummus.
• Falafel are often served with a yogurt sauce, or even tzatziki. 
• Falafel are served similarly to gyros, folded into a warm pita or flatbread, with cucumber, tomato and a tzatziki type sauce.

Since my husband and I have been eating a healthier diet of late, the concept of falafel, made with mainly chickpeas (which we both like - we love hummus) and the addition of other good things like parsley, cilantro, mint and some spices, these sounded like a good thing to try. The only sticking point is the deep-frying part. I absolutely hate to deep-fry things. I don't like heating up that much oil. And then what to do with it once I'm done? The likelihood of me deep frying anything else within a 5-year period is slim to none. So, the oil is all wasted.

At that point, I started looking for recipes to bake falafel. And while there are many recipes out there for baked falafel, I was getting the distinct impression that even if they are just pan fried in a little bit of oil, they taste better than baked. I decided to try it both ways and see how things come out. As it turned out, I ended up pan-frying the whole lot, so I never even got to testing the oven baked concept. But this will not be the last time making them. We both were completely enchanted with them!

While most of the recipes call for using a yogurt type sauce and/or hummus as sides to the falafel, one place jumped out as different by using a red sauce. I kept in mind the main ingredients but did not write down the recipe. All I knew is that roasted garlic and roasted red bell pepper were involved, and those two ingredients had me salivating. I went ahead and made a sauce, and I am absolutely sure it will be great with falafel, I am also sure it would be great on a lot of things. Omelets come to mind! Or burgers, or even fries! It's that good! I'm foreseeing a lot of this sauce being made in the near future also!

Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Sauce

Makes about ¾ cup

Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Sauce

4 or 5 roasted cloves garlic
1 large red bell pepper
1 large shallot
1 Roma tomato
1 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon ground sumac
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

If roasted garlic is not already made, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut of the top portion of a whole head of garlic. Set it into a piece of foil large enough to enclose the head of garlic. Drizzle a little olive oil over top, seal the package and set into a small, oven proof ramekin and bake for 45 minutes. Once baked, simply squeeze out the garlic.

Preheat the broiler. Set the bell pepper onto a foil lined baking sheet and place under broiler so that it is about 3 to 4 inches away from the broiler element. Allow the skin of the pepper to completely blacken before turning it so another side is exposed. Once it has blackened all around, remove the pepper to a zip-top bag and seal, allowing it to steam for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove all skin, then remove seeds and membranes and place the roasted pepper into a blender container, along with the garlic.

Once the pepper is done, cut up the shallot into some few pieces and set onto the same foil lined pan and roast until it smells sweet and there are a few little darkened patches. Add the shallot pieces to the blender with all the remaining ingredients. Blend to a smooth puree. You should have approximately 1½ cups. Pour this into a non-stick skillet and cook down to about half, leaving a thickened ¾ cup of sauce. The sauce will keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

Typically, falafel are served in pita breads. For some odd reason, the stores here had not carried pita breads, but only flatbreads. Now, just the other day, suddenly there are pita breads in the section with cheeses, so they are chilled. The breads themselves were hard as rocks, so needless to say, flatbreads it is for this first try!

Falafel, sprinkled with salt

Falafel

Makes about 30 to 35 two-inch patties

1¾ cups dried chickpeas
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno, seeds removed
½ cup parsley
½ cup mint leaves
1 cup cilantro
2 teaspoons cumin, ground
2 teaspoons coriander, ground
½ teaspoon black pepper, ground

The day before making falafel, place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover by at least 3 inches with water. Cover the bowl and leave them to soak for 18 to 24 hours. Once ready, they should break apart between two fingers. Once ready, drain the remaining water and place the soaked chickpeas in the container of a food processor, along with all the remaining ingredients. Process, stopping to scrape down frequently, until the mixture is like coarse sand, leaving some texture, not a paste. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 or 3 hours.

Once ready to cook, you may deep-fry them, of course, but they were just perfect made in a skillet with oil added as needed. If you own a little cookie scoop, one that scoops about a tablespoon of dough, this worked perfectly. The falafel are small, but very easy to manage in the skillet. Scoop out a tablespoon-sized portion, flatten in your hand, then set into the hot skillet with enough oil to fry them easily.

Scoop, flatten and fry the falafel

Fry the patties on medium to medium-low heat. They can take about 2 or 3 minutes per side, at this size. If larger, they may take longer. The patties should be dark brown on the outsides and cooked through, but still tender, in the centers.

At this point, the falafel may be eaten with hummus, or with a yogurt and tahini sauce, or wrap them in pita or flatbread with the additions of cucumber slices, tomato slices and lettuce. Another addition seems to be pickled turnip, but I have yet to try that.




My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Using Zah'tar with Grilled Chicken

Clockwise from top: sumac, sesame, oregano, salt, thyme

Nearly two years ago was the first time I heard of Zah'tar (or Zatar/Zahtar/Zaatar and many more spellings), spice mixture shown right. It is a Mediterranean spice blend that usually includes sumac, sesame seeds, thyme and oregano and generally has salt in the mix. Most authentic recipes use an Asian species of marjoram not available in the US. Some add coriander seed. Use this spice mixture to sprinkle over foods, or mix it in with olive oil for dipping a nice crusty bread. But you might be wondering about the "sumac" part of the equation. 

What is Sumac, and is it related to Poison Sumac?

You might hear the word Sumac and immediately think, "Poison Sumac?" The Mediterranean spice, sumac is not from the same plant as poison sumac, though it is in the same family. The sumac used in Zah'tar and other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines grows wild only in those areas, so there is no chance of running afoul of the wrong plant. The poison sumac here in the US is from a plant called Rhus vernix, where the Mediterranean plant sumac is from the plant Rhus coriaria. 

Zah'tar 

Makes about ¾ cup

¼ cup sumac powder
¼ cup raw, unhulled sesame seeds (may be toasted in a dry pan first)
2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves (not powder)
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves (not powder)
1 teaspoon salt

If toasting sesame seeds, place them in a dry frying pan and stir constantly until they begin to pop and snap. Remove from heat immediately and pour onto a plate to cool. Grind all ingredients together in a mortar and pestle, or briefly pulse together in a spice grinder.

Store Zahtar in a clean glass jar with close fitting lid for up to 3 months. 

Lemon Zah'tar Chicken served with Sweet Potato Oven Fries and Green Beans

Sumac closely parallels the use of tamarind or dried green mango powder in Indian and Indonesian cuisines. The dried, crushed fruits yield a reddish brown powder that is preferred over lemons for its fruity sourness and astringency. Sumac is a major component of the spice mixture called Zah'tar. Zah'tar is wonderful when mixed with olive oil to use for dipping bread. It can be sprinkled over most any food that needs a little zip. Sprinkle it over hummus, yogurt, avocado or cheese.

Lemon Zah'tar Chicken on the grill

A Syrian acquaintance once made chicken kebabs, marinating them first in a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt and pepper. She was lamenting the lack of sumac to make her kebabs more authentic. Since I happened to have some, I brought it for her to use. Thinking back on those very flavorful kebabs, I thought the use of Zah'tar would be a great flavor mixture to add to this sort of recipe. Last evening I put this to the test, with wonderful results.

Lemon Zah'tar Chicken

Serves 3 or 4

Kebabs, before and after grilling

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

MARINADE:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Zah'tar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup unflavored Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
few grinds fresh black pepper

Cut the chicken breasts into about 1 1/2 or 2-inch cubes. Place the cubes of chicken into a zip-top bag or other container with a lid. In a bowl, mix together all the marinade ingredients until well combined, then pour over the chicken cubes and mix well to coat all sides of the meat. Let the chicken marinate for at least 1/2 hour in this mixture, or up to 2 hours, maximum. After this time the chicken starts to break down from the yogurt and becomes slightly mushy.

Slide the cubes of chicken onto shish kebab skewers, anchoring the meat at the ends with slices of carrot or bell pepper.

Light a grill and once hot, either lower the temperature to medium low, or push most of the coals to one side. Grill over lower heat for about 4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is at least 160 to 165 degrees.

While thinking about the recipe for the chicken, I was also thinking of what to serve with the kebabs. I bought a couple of sweet potatoes and made oven fries, similar to my regular Oven Steak Fries. Sweet potatoes, despite being somewhat harder to cut through than regular white potatoes, bake faster than white potatoes. When making oven fries, I like to mix melted butter and olive oil together for the great flavor. The butter could be omitted and all oil substituted. For the Sweet Potato Oven Fries I also added some seasonings, as well as first tossing the raw potato in a little cornstarch. This step was a bit of an experiment. I was hoping for a slightly crisper outside texture. My sweet potato slices were not of even thickness, so some got brown and others did not, but all were well cooked. Just not crisped. I will add the cornstarch to the recipe here; whether to use it is up to you.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

Serves 2 to 4

2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (375 on Convection Bake). Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into thick lengths, as for "steak fries". Sprinkle the cornstarch over the potato pieces and toss well to coat. Place the sweet potatoes in a zip-top bag or other container with lid and pour on the oil and butter, then add in the salt and garlic powder. Seal the container and toss well to coat completely. The potatoes can be held at this point for up to an hour before baking.

Pour the potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold all the pieces with space between. Bake them for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and turn all the pieces over. Return to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are golden and cooked through. Serve immediately.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.