Za’atar is the name both for a variety of wild thyme, and – more famously – for a spice blend which takes the herb’s name.

Za’atar is generally made from a mixture of za’atar (of course), sumac, sesame seeds, olive oil and salt. It should be fragrant from the za’atar, crunchy from the sesame seeds and a little bit citrussy from the sumac. High quality pre-made za’atar should be made from true wild thyme, and not oregano or common thyme. However, if making it from scratch za’atar can be difficult to get hold of, and in that case oregano makes a decent substitute.

Za’atar can be sprinkled on top of flatbread, fried eggs, hummus, yoghurt – it adds fragrance, colour and crunch to pretty much any middle eastern dish! Helen Graves’ recipe for Charred tomatoes with cool yoghurt, pomegranate molasses and herbs and this recipe for Labneh balls from Falastin are a great place to start if you’ve never cooked with za’atar before. If you want to try making za’atar at home, check out this recipe for maneesh from Victoria Glass.