Za'atar ( ; ar, زَعْتَر, ) is a culinary herb or family of herbs. It is also the name of a spice mixture that includes the herb along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, often salt, as well as other spices. As a family of related

Middle Eastern The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (European ...

herbs, it contains plants from the

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

'' Origanum'' (

oregano Oregano (, ; ''Origanum vulgare'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Oregano is a woody perennial pla ...

), ''

Calamintha ''Calamintha'' is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commonly called the calamints, there are about eight species in the genus (around 30 before revisions in taxonomy) which is native to the northern temperate regions of Eu ...

'' (

basil thyme ''Acinos arvensis'', known commonly as basil thyme and spring savory, is a species of plant of the genus ''Acinos''. It is a perennial that usually grows about high and spreads . It prefers to grow in strong sunlight. The scent is faintly remin ...

), '' Thymus'' (typically '' Thymus vulgaris'', i.e., thyme), and '' Satureja'' (

savory Savory or Savoury may refer to: Common usage * Herbs of the genus ''Satureja'', particularly: ** Summer savory (''Satureja hortensis''), an annual herb, used to flavor food ** Winter savory (''Satureja montana''), a perennial herb, also used to ...

) plants.Allen, 2007
p. 237
. The name ''za'atar'' alone most properly applies to '' Origanum syriacum'', considered in biblical scholarship to be the ezov ( he, אזוב ) of the Hebrew Bible, often translated as ''hyssop'' but distinct from modern '' Hyssopus officinalis''. Used in Levantine cuisine, both the herb and spice mixture are popular throughout the Mediterranean region of the Middle East.

Etymology

According to Ignace J. Gelb, an Akkadian language word that can be read ''sarsar'' may refer to a spice plant. This word could be attested in the Syriac ''satre'', and Arabic ''za'atar'' (or ''sa'tar''), possibly the source of Latin ''Satureia''.Gelb, 1956, p. 74. Satureia ('' Satureja'') is a common name for '' Satureja thymbra'', a species of

whose other common and ethnic names include, "Persian za'atar", "za'atar rumi" (Roman hyssop), and "za'atar franji" (European hyssop).Allen, 2007
p. 230
Faculté de Médecine de Paris, 1818
p. clxxviii
In the Modern Hebrew language, ''za'atar'' is used as an Arabic loanword. '' Thymus capitatus'' (also called ''Satureja capitata'') is a species of wild thyme found throughout the hills of the Levant and Mediterranean Middle East.Basan, 2007
p. 196
Thyme is said to be a plant "powerfully associated with

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

", and the spice mixture za'atar is common fare there. ''

Thymbra spicata :''See Battle of Thymbra for the fight in Lydia between the Persians and the Lydians''. See Thymbra (plant) for the plant genus. Thymbra or Thymbre ( grc, Θύμβρα or Θύμβρη) was a town in the Troad, near Troy. The second of the six gat ...

'', a plant native to Greece and to Palestine/Israel and has been cultivated in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

n, Palestinian, and Lebanese immigrants for use in their za'atar preparations since the 1940s. Another species identified as "wild za'atar" (Arabic:''za'atar barri'') is '' Origanum vulgare'', commonly known as

European oregano European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...

, oregano, pot marjoram, wild marjoram, winter marjoram, or

wintersweet Wintersweet is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *''Acokanthera oblongifolia'', a plant of southern Africa *''Acokanthera oppositifolia'', a shrub of central and southern Africa *''Chimonanthus praecox'', a shrub of China *''Origan ...

. This species is also extremely common in Lebanon,

, Jordan, Israel, and

, and is used by peoples of the region to make one local variety of the spice mixture. Other Latin names for the herbs called za'atar in Arabic include '' Origanum syriacum'' (also known as Bible

hyssop ''Hyssopus officinalis'' or hyssop is a shrub in the Lamiaceae or mint family native to Southern Europe, the Middle East, and the region surrounding the Caspian Sea. Due to its purported properties as an antiseptic, cough reliever, and expecto ...

, Arabic

and wild marjoram) and ''

Origanum majorana Marjoram (; ''Origanum majorana'') is a cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted ma ...

'' (sweet marjoram).Seidemann, 2005, p. 365. Both oregano and marjoram are closely related Mediterranean plants of the family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

, so it is unsurprising that they could be used interchangeably.

Preparation as a condiment, and variations

Za'atar as a prepared condiment is traditionally made with ground ''origanum syriacum'' mixed with roasted sesame seeds, and salt, though other spices such as sumac berries might also be added. In areas where ''origanum syriacum'' is not readily available, thyme,

, marjoram, or some combination thereof is used instead, and some commercial varieties also include roasted wheat. Traditionally, housewives throughout the Fertile Crescent, Iraq, and the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...

made their own variations of za'atar.Heine, 2004
p. 69
This general practice is cited by Western observers of Middle Eastern and North African culinary cultures as one reason for their difficulties in determining the names of the different spices used. Written history lacks an early definitive reference to za'atar as a spice mixture, though unidentified terms in the Yale Babylonian Collection may be references to spice blends.Kaufman, 2006
p. 29
Some varieties may add

cumin Cumin ( or , or Article title
) (''Cuminum cyminum'') is a

coriander Coriander (;

or fennel seed.Roberts, 2000
p. 84
One distinctively Palestinian variation of za'atar includes caraway seeds, while a Lebanese variety contains more sumac and has a distinct dark red color.Nabhan, 2004
p. 88-89
Like ''

baharat ( ar, بَهَارَات; 'spices') is a spice mixture or blend used in Middle Eastern cuisines. The mixture of finely ground spices is often used to season lamb and mutton, fish, chicken, beef, and soups, and may also be used as a condiment. ...

'' (a typically Egyptian spice mix of ground cinnamon, cloves, and allspice or rosebuds) and other spice mixtures popular in the Arab world, za'atar is high in

anti-oxidants Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricants, ...

. Za'atar, both the herb and the condiment, is popular in Algeria, Armenia, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey.

History

There is evidence that a za'atar plant was known and used in Ancient Egypt, though its ancient name has yet to be determined with certainty.Manniche, 1989
p. 150
Remains of ''Thymbra spicata'', one species used in modern za'atar preparations, were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, and according to Dioscorides, this particular species was known to the Ancient Egyptians as ''saem''.Gardner, 2004
p. 326
Pliny the Elder mentions a herb ''maron'' as an ingredient of the ''Regale Unguentum'' ("Royal Perfume") used by the

Parthian Parthian may be: Historical * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...

kings in the 1st century CE.This is usually rendered as English ''marum'' (defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as ''

Thymus mastichina ''Thymus mastichina'' is a species in the family Lamiaceae. It is endemic to the central Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Pen� ...

'' or ''

Teucrium marum ''Teucrium marum'', commonly known as cat thyme or kitty crack, is a species of germander. Its small, oval leaves give it a thyme-like appearance, but the musty scent is quite unlike the delicate aroma of thyme. Cat thyme is a mounding, tender pe ...

''), but Dalby interprets this as '' Origanum syriacum'' and translates it as ''zatar''; Dalby, 2000
p. 189
Dalby, 2002
p. 108
In Jewish tradition,

Saadiah Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon ( ar, سعيد بن يوسف الفيومي ''Saʻīd bin Yūsuf al-Fayyūmi''; he, סַעֲדְיָה בֶּן יוֹסֵף אַלְפַיּוּמִי גָּאוֹן ''Saʿăḏyāh ben Yōsēf al-Fayyūmī Gāʾōn''; ...

(d. 942), Ibn Ezra (d. circa 1164), Maimonides (1135–1204) and

Obadiah ben Abraham Obadiah ben Abraham of Bertinoro ( he, ר׳ עוֹבַדְיָה בֵּן אַבְרָהָם מִבַּרְטֵנוּרָא; 1445 – 1515), commonly known as "The Bartenura", was a 15th-century Italian rabbi best known for his popular comme ...

(1465–1515) identified the '' ezov'' mentioned in the Hebrew Bible ( Hebrew: אזוב,

Samaritan Hebrew Samaritan Hebrew () is a reading tradition used liturgically by the Samaritans for reading the Ancient Hebrew language of the Samaritan Pentateuch, in contrast to Tiberian Hebrew among the Jews. For the Samaritans, Ancient Hebrew ceased to be a ...

: ࠀࠉࠆࠅࠁ) with the Arabic word "za'atar".Isser, 1976
p. 99
Ezov/za'atar is particularly associated with

ritual purity Ritual purification is the ritual prescribed by a religion by which a person is considered to be free of ''uncleanliness'', especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification may ...

ceremonies, such as preparing the ashes of the red heifer (Numbers 19:6) and handling bodily contaminations (Leviticus 14:4, 6, 51–52; Numbers 20:18). The Children of Israel are also said to have used a clump of ezov/za'atar stalks to daub the blood of the Paschal sacrifice on the doorposts of their houses before leaving bondage in Egypt (Exodus 12:22).

King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

refers to the purifying powers of the herb in Psalm 51:7, "Cleanse me with ezov/za'atar and I shall be purified." Much later, ezov/za'atar appears in the 2nd century CE Mishnah as an ingredient in food at that time in Judea ('Uktzin 2:2), while elsewhere in the Talmud there is mention of herbs ground into oil (a preparation called ''mish'cha t'china'' in Aramaic, משחא טחינא), but it is not specified whether this was like the za'atar mix known today. In the 12th century Maimonides described the use of the za'atar (צעתר, صعتر) he identified in contemporary cuisine, noting that "the ''ezov'' mentioned in the Torah is the ''ezov'' that the homeowners eat and season their stews with it." ( Mishneh Torah, Parah Adumah 3:2) Along with other spiced salts, za'atar has been used as a staple in Arab cuisine from medieval times to the present.Basan, 2007
p. 27
Za'atar has historical significance for Palestinians, some of whom see the presence of za'atar as the signifier of a Palestinian household. For Palestinian refugees, plants and foods such as za'atar also serve as signifiers of the house, village, and region from which they hailed.Lien and Nerlich, 2004
pp. 148–149.
/ref> Once used mainly by Arab bakeries, za'atar is now a common herb in Israeli cuisine. Some Israeli companies market za'atar commercially as "hyssop" or "holy hyssop". '' Hyssopus officinalis'' is not found in the wild in Israel, but ''Origanum vulgare'' is extremely common. Ecologists found that wild za'atar was on the verge of extinction in Israel due to over-harvesting. In 1977, an Israeli law was passed declaring it a protected species. Violators are subject to fines. Some

Arab citizens of Israel The Arab citizens of Israel are the largest ethnic minority in the country. They comprise a hybrid community of Israeli citizens with a heritage of Palestinian citizenship, mixed religions (Muslim, Christian or Druze), bilingual in Arabic an ...

(who traditionally picked the wild herbs) have described the legislation as "almost anti-Arab". The ban on picking wild za'atar is also enforced in the West Bank. In 2006, za'atar plants were confiscated at IDF checkpoints.

Culinary use

Za'atar is traditionally dried in the sun and mixed with salt, sesame seeds and sumac. It is commonly eaten with

pita Pita ( or ) or pitta (British English), is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, als ...

, which is dipped in olive oil and then za'atar. When the dried herb is moistened with

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

, the spread is known as ''za'atar-wu-zayt'' or ''zeit ou za'atar'' (''zeit'' or ''zayt'', meaning "oil" in Arabic and "olive" in Hebrew). This mixture spread on a dough base and baked as a bread, produces manakeesh bi zaatar.Carter et al., 2004
p. 68
In the Mediterranean region of Middle East, ka'ak (a soft sesame seed bread), is sold in bakeries and by street vendors with za'atar to dip into or with a za'atar filling.Cheshin et al., 2001
p. 14
Za'atar is used as a seasoning for meats and vegetables or sprinkled onto

hummus Hummus (, ; ar, حُمُّص, 'chickpeas'; full Arabic name: ''ḥummuṣ bi-ṭ-ṭaḥīna'' ar, حمص بالطحينة, 'chickpeas with tahini'), also spelled hommus or houmous, is a Middle Eastern dip, spread, or savory dish made fr ...

. It is also eaten with labneh ( yogurt drained to make a tangy, creamy cheese), and bread and olive oil for breakfast, most commonly in Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, as well as other places in the Arab world.Marin and Deguilhem, 2002
p. 69
Ray, 2004
p. 154
The Lebanese speciality ''

shanklish Shanklish ( ''shanklīsh'' or شنغليش ''shanghlīsh''), also known as chancliche, shinklish, shankleesh, sorke, or sürke, is a type of cow's milk or sheep milk cheese in Levantine cuisine. Shanklish is made by curdling yoghurt, straining it ...

'', dry-cured balls of labneh, can be rolled in za'atar to form its outer coating.Savill and O'Meara, 2005
p. 273
The fresh za'atar herb is used in a number of dishes. Borek is a common bread pastry that can be stuffed with various ingredients, including za'atar. A salad made of fresh za'atar leaves (Arabic: ''salatet al-zaatar al-akhdar'') is also popular throughout the Levant.The Poetry Society, 2006
p. 5
The recipe is simple, consisting of fresh thyme, finely chopped onions, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. A traditional beverage in Oman is za'atar steeped in boiling water to make a herbal tea.Marshall Cavendish, 2007
p. 309

Folk medicine

, there is a folk belief that za'atar makes the mind alert, and children are sometimes encouraged to eat za'atar at breakfast before school.Swedenburg, 2003
p. 59
Maimonides (Rambam), a medieval

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

and physician who lived in Spain, Morocco, and Egypt, prescribed za'atar for its health advancing properties in the 12th century.Marks, 2010
p. 630
Since ancient times, people in the Mediterranean region of Middle East have thought za'atar could be used to reduce and eliminate internal parasites.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

* {{portal bar, Food Herb and spice mixtures Arab cuisine Israeli cuisine Jordanian cuisine Lebanese cuisine Levantine cuisine Palestinian cuisine Syrian cuisine Turkish cuisine Condiments