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Za'atar mixture of hyssop, sesame seeds and salt

Za'atar (Arabic زعتر , Armenian զահթար), Hebrew זעתר), is a Middle Eastern herb and spice mixture. The chief ingredient is hyssop. Alternate spellings include zaatar, zatar, zattar or zahatar.

Green za'atar is traditionally composed of dried hyssop (Majorana syriaca L.), sesame seeds and salt. ^[1]Some mixtures use savory, oregano, cumin or fennel seed. Red za'atar is made with sumac.

In Lebanon, this spice mixture is believed to increase mental alertness and physical stamina. For this reason, children are encouraged to eat a za'atar sandwich for breakfast before an exam^[2]. The mixture is popular in Turkey, Morocco, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and North Africa^[3]. It is also popular among Armenians. Za'atar is frequently sprinkled on hummus, or served with olive oil as a spread.

Za'atar is used to spice meats and vegetables, and is mixed with olive oil to make a spread (za'atar-ul-zayt or zayt-tu-zaa'tar), which is used as a dip for sesame rings (ka'k). Za'atar is also sprinkled on a dough base for the Middle-Eastern equivalent of pizza known as manakish. It is sprinkled on labneh, yogurt that is drained until it becomes a tangy cream cheese. Za'atar can be mixed with salt, rolled into balls and preserved in oil. The leaves can also be dried in the sun.

In Israel, wild za'atar was on the verge of extinction due to over-harvesting. It was declared a protected species in 1977.^[1] The biblical name for za'atar is ezov.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Hyssop- Adding Spice to Life in the Middle East". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1998-07-01.
^ http://www.recipezaar.com/65710
^ Lebanese Food: The zing of za'atar
^ http://www.jhom.com/topics/spices/hyssop.html

This food ingredient article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[hyssop-1] "Hyssop- Adding Spice to Life in the Middle East". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1998-07-01.

[2] ttps://www.recipezaar.com/65710

[3] Lebanese Food: The zing of za'atar

[4] ttps://www.jhom.com/topics/spices/hyssop.html

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+[[Image:ZaatarbyGassan.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Za'atar mixture of hyssop, sesame seeds and salt]]
-{{unreferenced|date=November 2007}}
-[[Image:ZaatarbyGassan.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Za'atar mixture, made using oregano, thyme, sesame, and salt]]
-'''Za'atar''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]] '''زعتر''' , [[Armenian language|Armenian]] '''զահթար'''), is a mixture of [[spice]]s originating in the [[Middle East]].  The [[Arabic]] term ''za'atar'' refers to any of various local herbs of the [[mint family]], including [[marjoram]], [[oregano]] and [[thyme]].<ref>http://www.chow.com/recipes/10607</ref><ref>http://www.forward.com/articles/za'atar</ref>  Alternate spellings include '''zaatar''', '''zatar''', '''zattar''' or '''zahatar'''.
+'''Za'atar''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]] '''زعتر''' , [[Armenian language|Armenian]] '''զահթար'''), [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] '''זעתר'''), is a Middle Eastern herb and spice mixture. The chief ingredient is [[hyssop]]. Alternate spellings include ''zaatar'', ''zatar'', ''zattar'' or ''zahatar''.
-Green za'atar mixture is traditionally composed of dried thyme (''Thymus vulgaris''), toasted white [[sesame seed]]s, and [[salt]]. Some sources also include [[Savory (herb)|savory]], [[hyssop]], [[oregano]], [[cumin]], and [[fennel]] seed. Red za'atar is made with dried thyme with [[sumac]].
+Green za'atar is traditionally composed of dried hyssop (''Majorana syriaca L.''), [[sesame seed]]s and [[salt]]. <ref name="hyssop">{{web cite|url=http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/MFA/Israel%20beyond%20the%20conflict/Hyssop-%20Adding%20Spice%20to%20Life%20in%20the%20Middle%20East|title=Hyssop- Adding Spice to Life in the Middle East|date=1998-07-01|publisher=Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs}}</ref>Some mixtures use [[Savory (herb)|savory]], [[oregano]], [[cumin]] or [[fennel]] seed. Red za'atar is made with [[sumac]].
-In [[Lebanon]], there is a belief that this particular spice mixture makes the mind alert and the body strong. For this reason, children are encouraged to eat a za'atar [[sandwich]] for [[breakfast]] before an exam.<ref>http://www.recipezaar.com/65710</ref> The mixture is popular in [[Turkey]], [[Morocco]], [[Libya]], [[Lebanon]], [[Syria]], [[Jordan]], [[Israel]] and [[North Africa]] and is popular within the [[Armenian diaspora]]. [[Palestinians]] consider za'atar as one of their staple foods. In Palestine, za'atar is frequently sprinkled on [[hummus]], or served with [[olive oil]] as a spread.
+In [[Lebanon]], this spice mixture is believed to increase mental alertness and physical stamina. For this reason, children are encouraged to eat a za'atar [[sandwich]] for [[breakfast]] before an exam<ref>http://www.recipezaar.com/65710</ref>. The mixture is popular in [[Turkey]], [[Morocco]], [[Libya]], [[Lebanon]], [[Syria]], [[Jordan]], [[Israel]] and [[North Africa]]<ref>[http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2007/08/lebanese_food_t.php Lebanese Food: The zing of za'atar]</ref>. It is also popular among [[Armenians]].  Za'atar is frequently sprinkled on [[hummus]], or served with [[olive oil]] as a spread.
-Za'atar is used to spice meats and vegetables, and is mixed with [[olive oil]] to make a spread (''za'atar-ul-zayt'' or ''zayt-tu-zaa'tar''), which is used as a dip for [[sesame ring]]s (ka'k). Za'atar can also be spread on a dough base for the Middle-Eastern equivalent of a miniature [[pizza]], also known as the [[manakish]]. It can be sprinkled on [[labneh]] (yogurt that has been drained until it becomes a tangy, creamy cheese). It can also be preserved in oil, by mixing with salt and rolling into balls, or by drying in the sun.
+Za'atar is used to spice meats and vegetables, and is mixed with [[olive oil]] to make a spread (''za'atar-ul-zayt'' or ''zayt-tu-zaa'tar''), which is used as a dip for [[sesame ring]]s (ka'k). Za'atar is also sprinkled on a dough base for the Middle-Eastern equivalent of [[pizza]] known as [[manakish]]. It is sprinkled on [[labneh]], yogurt that is drained until it becomes a tangy cream cheese. Za'atar can be mixed with salt, rolled into balls and preserved in oil. The leaves can also be dried in the sun.
+In Israel, wild za'atar was on the verge of extinction due to over-harvesting. It was declared a [[protected species]] in 1977.<ref name="hyssop"/> The biblical name for za'atar is ''ezov.''<ref>http://www.jhom.com/topics/spices/hyssop.html</ref>
 ==See also==