What Souvenirs to Bring from Saudi Arabia – Part Seven of the Top 15 Ideas for Gift Shopping.
Saudi zaatar spice
The Arabic word “zaatar” is used as either as a name of a wild herb that is a distant cousin of thyme and native to the Middle East, or for a mixture of that herb blended with sesame seeds and other spices.
Spice store in a souk of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Image source: postcard scan
I refer to Saudi zaatar as to Saudi Arabian version of this popular Middle Eastern spice mix. Zaatar mixes vary by region, and even from shop to shop and housewife to housewife. The basic version is a combination of wild thyme, sumac and roasted sesame seeds, but the secret “grandma” recipes also mention cumin, oregano, sumac, marjoram, coriander and salt in different proportions.
You can find ready-made zaatar mixes in Saudi supermarkets. It will be more like a generic “mass-mixed” spice, but a good sample of Saudi flavors for a beginner.
To get an idea what zaatar is about, find pita breads with zaatar, they sell these breads in supermarkets. If you happen to be close to one of the “French Bakery” outlets, get in and try a buttery zaatar croissant.
Aromatic zaatar croissant made by French Bakery
I came across similar croissants in bakery sections of supermarkets once, but they sell out quick and not always available.
You might want to know what you will do with this spice back home? Try it on fried or scramble eggs, sprinkle on an avocado sandwich or baked aubergine, dip an olive oil soaked bread in the zaatar mixture, scatter on a plain ready-made pizza dough to make zaatar pita. It tastes great even on fresh warm popcorn.
It’s not just tasty, it’s healthy too: in the Middle East people used it to reduce internal parasites. Oh, and as an ingredient in the mummification process (completely irrelevant).
What is always a good gift? A tea-table book. Continue to the next chapter!
