The market · Spices · The Middle East

Za'atar

Wild thyme or oregano, sumac, toasted sesame and salt — and also the name of the herb itself.

lemony · herbal · toasty

What to do with it

Classics built on it

LevantineManakishFlatbread spread with za'atar and olive oil and baked hot and fast — breakfast in Lebanon, folded and eaten on the move.No one here has made it yet

Goes with

olive oil labnehflatbreadtomato

Knowing it

Where to buy: Middle Eastern grocers. Blends vary by country; Palestinian and Lebanese are the most common here.
Worth knowing: Mix with olive oil and spread on flatbread before baking — manakish.

Kitchens that keep it in

Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and JordanLevantineThe cooking of the eastern Mediterranean: olive oil, lemon, tahini and herbs, eaten as a spread of small dishes to share.11 classics

More spices

SpicesAchiote pasteearthy, peppery2 classics SpicesAjwainthyme-like, sharp, bitter8 classics SpicesAllspicewarm, sweet-spiced, peppery2 classics SpicesAsafoetidapungent, sulphurous, garlicky when cooked12 classics