The endless ways to use zaatar—even in ‘upma’
Summary
The herby, nutty spice can be used to spruce up salads, snacks, rasam
In many Indian homes, children are given a spoon of curd and sugar before they leave home for the exams, symbolising good wishes and an auspicious start. I was fascinated to know that there’s a similar practice in Middle Eastern cultures, where children are given zaatar before exams, which is believed to boost brain power and cognitive performance. Whether you believe in the connection between zaatar and exam performance or not, this undeniably ranks as one of the most flavourful, aromatic condiments, with endless culinary uses.
Just as no Indian kitchen shelf is complete without cumin and coriander, zaatar and sumac are the mainstay of all Middle Eastern kitchens. Each region has slight variations in the ingredients and proportions used. The main ingredient is a mountain thyme, also called the zaatar leaf. This is dried and combined with dried marjoram, toasted white sesame seeds, sumac, oregano and salt. Some recipes use cumin and coriander powder as well. Versions with dried pomegranate have a tangy flavour.
Also read: How chef Ranveer Brar learnt to cook biryani
My introduction to zaatar happened when my husband returned from a Dubai souk with cardamom-flavoured coffee (did not like this), camel milk soaps, dried rose petals and a large bag of intensely aromatic, herby-nutty powder which I came to know is zaatar. My early experiments with this spice blend were salads, flatbreads and mezze.
All these experiments came in useful during my trip to Jordan in 2015 when the chef of the hotel we were staying in asked me to cook an Indo-Jordanian fusion dish for breakfast. As outlandish as it may sound, upma made using local fine bulgar, olive oil, zaatar and sumac turned out to be delicious. All Jordanian breakfast spreads had balls of labneh (hung yogurt cheese) coated with vibrant green zaatar preserved in olive oil. These were smeared over toast. The Lebanese zaatar manakish, a flatbread topped with zaatar (there are also lamb and cheese versions) is also a must try when you travel to the Middle East.
I now use zaatar regularly to liven up my salads, where it lends a unique earthy, herby and nutty flavour. Here are some ways to do so.
• Mix zaatar with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and a touch of honey to create a bold, zesty salad dressing. Add Greek yogurt and black pepper or chilli flakes for a creamy dressing.
• Toss leftover bread cubes with olive oil and zaatar, bake until crispy in an oven, airfryer or pan, and use as croutons to add a crunch element to salads.
• Coat nuts like almonds and cashews in a bit of olive oil and zaatar and bake until crisp. Use these flavoured nuts as a salad garnish.
• Sprinkle a heaped spoonful of zaatar over a basic cucumber-tomato-onion salad for an instant gourmet twist.
• Coat vegetables with zaatar and olive oil before oven roasting for a delicious addition to a warm salad, sandwich or pasta.
• Mix zaatar into cooked grains like couscous, bulgur or quinoa before adding them to your salad.
When faced with a new ingredient or spice mix, it is best not to be too restrictive with the cuisine and let the inspiration flow from your favourite cuisines and dishes. That’s how you end up using the ingredient in a variety of ways and create newer versions of well-loved dishes. Forced fusion dishes are not something I like but adding a touch of a new spice, a new technique or a new combination of ingredients to an existing recipe makes the mundane creative. Think zaatar beyond Middle Eastern food, such as pasta sauce, zaatar-flavoured rasam, pizza smeared with zaatar and olive oil, topped with veggies and cheese, as a flavouring for breakfast eggs and so much more. The possibilities are endless.
Chickpea Zaatar Upma
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 cup coarse rava (semolina)
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
1-2 green chillies, sliced
Half-cup cooked chickpeas, drained
2 tsp zaatar spice
2 pinches sumac
1 tsp salt
For the garnish
Few leaves of parsley
2-3 sliced black olives
Few halved cherry tomato
Pinch of zaatar
Method
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and roast the rava along with a teaspoon of olive oil until aromatic and lightly golden in colour. Remove and keep aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the same pan. Fry onion, carrot and green chillies on a medium flame until the onions are translucent.
To this, add cooked chickpeas, zaatar spice, sumac and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of boiling water and salt, followed by rava with constant stirring to prevent lumps. Cover and cook on low flame until the rava absorbs the water.
To serve, press the upma into a cup-sized mould and transfer to a plate. Garnish with finely chopped parsley, olives, cherry tomato and zaatar.
Note: You can make the same using fine bulgar wheat or couscous.
Zaatar-crusted tofu
Serves 2
Ingredients
200g firm tofu
2 tsp corn flour
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp zaatar
1 tsp chilli flakes
Method
Cover the tofu block with 2-3 layers of clean kitchen towel and place a heavy weight on it. Keep aside for an hour to remove all the moisture. After this, cut into 12 pieces. Preheat the oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes.
In a large plate, combine corn flour, olive oil, zaatar and chilli flakes. Toss the tofu cubes in the prepared marinade. Place the cubes in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and bake at 190 degrees for 8-10 minutes, turning the tofu cubes over midway.
Serve hot as is or with a labneh dip.
You can prepare the same recipe in an air fryer or in a heavy-bottomed pan.
Double Tested is a fortnightly column on vegetarian cooking, highlighting a single ingredient prepared two ways. Nandita Iyer’s latest book is The Great Indian Thali—Seasonal Vegetarian Wholesomeness (Roli Books). She posts @saffrontrail on Twitter and Instagram.
