Make Middle Eastern spice blends at Home

posted on: Oct 17, 2016

Habeeb Salloum
Countryside

Dear Mr. Salloum: I have been reading and enjoying your delicious recipes in COUNTRYSIDE For many years now. My wife and I look forward to creating your recipes and exploring Middle Eastern cuisine every month. I have one question, are there any recipes involving the creation of spice blends. We enjoy using spices in our meals and would like to know if you have any different Middle Eastern spice blends that you would share with us? We just got the Jan/Feb ’05 issue and can’t wait to try your okra recipes. – James Osowski

Dear Mr. Osowski: I am pleased that you enjoy preparing my recipes.

As to using spice blends, yes, you can use these according to taste. I try to simplify my recipes in order for people to easily find the ingredients. Mixtures of Middle Eastern or North African spices are only found in Middle Eastern and some specialty food stores. However, if you wish to use these, I have created the following to my own taste:

Arabian Gulf Spice Mixture – Ibzar

4 tablespoons cumin

4 tablespoons black pepper

4 tablespoons ground coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

Combine all ingredients; then store until use in a tightly covered container.

Moroccan Spice Mixture – Ras El Hanout

1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon mace

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Combine all ingredients; then store for use in a tightly covered container.

Middle Eastern Sumach and Thyme Seasoning – Za’tar Syria and Lebanon

Sumach, a condiment used almost solely in the Middle East, is an important ingredient in this dish, which is used to season other foods. As a condiment, it gives bread, olives, and yogurt an exquisite taste. Za’tar can be found mixed and ready to use in almost all Middle Eastern markets located in every large city in North America. If it cannot be found, this simple recipe can be followed.

1 cup dried thyme, pulverized

1 cup sumach

1/4 cup cooked, dried unsalted chickpeas, finely pulverized

3 tablespoons sesame seed, toasted

1 tablespoon marjoram

1-1/2 tablespoons salt

Combine all ingredients together; then store in a jar for future use.

The above recipes can be found in my cookbook: Classic Vegetarian, Cooking From the Middle East and North Africa. Best of wishes. – Habeeb Salloum

Salloum, H. (2005, May). Middle eastern spice blends. Countryside and Small Stock Journal, 89, 67. Retrieved from here