Herbal Za'atar recipe.
An amazing Spice mix from Mediterranean region!
The combination of nutritive & detoxifying herbs in this Herbal Za’atar recipe provides a base for their ability to improve the immune system, skin health, stabilize bones, increase circulation, aid memory, clear your respiratory system, calm the inflammation, energize, improve mood, and prevent chronic diseases.
This is my version of Herbal Za’atar recipe which is a combination of sesame seeds, ground sumac, thyme, salt and other herbs and spices.
Za’atar is a spice blend from the Middle East, where it is used as ordinarily as ketchup. Just like the curry blends in India and the Gomasio in Japan, za’atar recipes are many and diverse, and we probably will never know the very Original recipe, so…
While many spices are delicious and beneficial for your health, their power can be maximized if you combine them and add medicinal and nutritive Herbs.
The rich base of roasted sesame seeds and sumac flavor provides a perfect canvas for blending other delicious and medicinal herbs and seeds that easily cross over into the “food as medicine ” realm.
Actually Za’atar (zaah-tahr) word has two meanings:
It’s a Middle Eastern herb and a spice blend.
1). The herb za’atar (Origanum syriacum) is a very popular herb that can be traced back to the Bible. It is so treasured for its great flavor that blends hints of Oregano, Thyme and Marjoram, that it’s called the “king of herbs.”
The za’atar plant is a protected species in Israel and at certain times of the year is not allowed to be harvested, fearing it will become extinct. In the Bible this plant is call eizov (often translated as hyssop, though biblical hyssop was something different from the plant that today we call hyssop) It has great flavor that blends hints of Oregano, Thyme and Marjoram. If you are interested growing this wonderful herb you can purchase seeds that are imported from Israel, here in Fedco Seeds shop or Here in Strictly Medicinal Seeds.
2). Za’atar, the spice blend, that vary in ingredients from region to region, but, generally, the flavor is herbal and nutty.
The za’atar herb itself is rarely exported, so it’s safe to assume that recipes calling for za’atar refer to the spice blend.
Two main Ingredients in my version of
Herbal Za'atar recipe are:
– Common thyme (garden thyme – Thymus vulgaris) is a commonly used domestic remedy, has antiseptic properties and its beneficial effect on the respiratory & digestive systems. The whole plant is anthelmintic, deodorant, strongly antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, disinfectant, expectorant, sedative and tonic. It is taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis and other respiratory issues, indigestion, painful menstruation, colic and hangover. Thyme can be used fresh at any time of the year, or it can be harvested as it start blooming, dried for later use and/or frozen as I do.
Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) contains all the medicinal properties of the garden thyme, but in a lesser degree and less aromatic, this is why we’ll be using regular organic thyme in this Herbal zaatar recipe.
– Sumac also spelled sumach, is any one of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae.
Original Herbal Za’atar recipe would use the Rhus coriaria L. (commonly called Sicilian sumac, tanner’s sumac, or elm-leaved sumac) that is a shrub or a small tree in the Anacardiaceae or Cashew family, native to southern Europe. Or the Skunkbush Sumac (Rhus trilobata)
But we will use the Native to N.America and Canada Rhus typhina – the Staghorn sumac or Velvet sumac. It actually does feel like velvet!
Indians made a lemonade-like drink from the crushed fruit and valued it especially for its astringent qualities. They used bark, roots, fruits and even the sap for variety of conditions! In modern Herbalism it isn’t used much, maybe because the roots and bark can be toxic in large doses.
Sumac fruit though can offer some very amazing properties:
It used as a tonic to improve the appetite and as a treatment for diarrhea. Astringent and blood purifier. A remedy for bed-wetting. A sore throats and stomach pains treatment. Antiseptic, Emetic, Tonic, Diuretic, Stomachic.
Contains: very high Vitamin C content, Tannins and Malic acid (Stimulated Metabolism and increases production of energy in the body. Good for brain, muscles, skin, gums, physical exhaustion…).
Also the Indians used it to make ink by boiling the leaves and fruits, and the dried leaves were an ingredient in smoking mixtures.
Herbal Za'atar recipe.
Herbal Za'atar recipe
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Za’atar has some truly impressive health benefits, including its ability to improve the immune system, boost skin health, build strong bones, increase circulation, clear out the respiratory tracts, soothe inflammation, boost energy, improve mood, aid memory, and treat chronic diseases.
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried organic Thyme
- 1 cup wild ground Sumac
- 1 cup Sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup dry spring Nettle leaf
- 1/4 cup dry Holy Basil
- 1 Tbsp Ground Milk Thistle Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Celtic salt
- 1/2 Tbsp ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Tbsp ground Turmeric
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
-
First, you need to roast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they turn light brown, all while stirring.
-
Combine the rest of the ingredients and half of the sesame seeds together and grind em in a blender or a food processor, until desired texture.
-
Add the rest of the sesame seeds and using a whisk, mix all together. and that's it!
-
Once you’ve prepared your Herbal Zaatar spice blend, you can store it in an air-tight container and it can last you 1-2 years if you keep it in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
Use: sprinkle on salads, soups, flat GF bread, rice cakes, omelet...actually anywhere you would normally use salt and paper!
share:
shop:
My invisible notes:
http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/r/rhus-typhina=stag’s-horn-sumach.php
http://www.healthmagazine.ae/featured/health-benefits-of-zaatar/
Recent Posts
My Garden Page:
Would you like to receive my new posts, recipes, special offers and surprise giveaways
right in your email box?
Then join the community of like-minded subscribers
Read more about how we use your info in the Privacy Policy.
** Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs that are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **
This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.