Perfect sprinkled on your pitta and hummus, or used in any number of delectable dishes, za’atar is a heavenly Middle Eastern condiment made from fresh, dried and toasted ingredients.

In the Levant, it is thought that za’atar keeps the mind alert and the body strong.  Whilst historically, the medieval rabbi and physician, Maimonides, prescribed this condiment for its health-giving properties.

Makes around 8 tablespoons
Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried marjoram
4 tsp ground sumac
5 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp sea salt

Method

Toast 4tsp of the sesame seeds and all the caraway seeds together in a dry pan on a high heat for a couple of minutes.  Then – using either a pestle and mortar or a blender – finely grind together until you have a dusty mix.  Add the remaining tsp of sesame seeds to this fine mixture, for aesthetics!  Your za’atar will keep in a jar in the fridge for a good few weeks.