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Za'atar
Za'atar ( ; , ) is a versatile herb blend and family of wild herbs native to the Levant, central to Middle Eastern cuisine and culture. The term refers both to aromatic plants of the '' Origanum'' and '' Thymbra'' genera (including '' Origanum syriacum'', known as Bible hyssop) and to the prepared spice mixture of dried herbs, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. With roots stretching back to ancient Egypt and classical antiquity, za'atar has been used for millennia as a seasoning, folk remedy, and cultural symbol. The spice blend varies regionally, with Lebanese versions emphasizing sumac's tartness, while Palestinian varieties may include caraway. It flavors iconic dishes like '' manakish'' (za'atar flatbread), enhances labneh and hummus, and is mixed with olive oil as a dip (''za'atar-wu-zayt''). Beyond cuisine, medieval Arabic and Jewish medical texts, including works by Maimonides, documented za'atar's digestive benefits, and Palestinian tradition associates it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Origanum Syriacum
''Origanum syriacum'' subsp. ''syriacum''; syn. ''Majorana syriaca'' (also ''Origanum maru'', although this primarily refers to a hybrid of ''O. syriacum''), bible hyssop, Biblical-hyssop, Lebanese oregano or Syrian oregano, is an aromatic perennial herb in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is a preferred primary ingredient in the spice mixture ''za'atar''. ''O. syriacum'' is native to the Palestine region and was formerly used in ceremonial functions in the Temple in Jerusalem, such as for sprinkling the waters of a purification mixture made by the ashes of a burned red heifer on persons defiled by the dead. Etymology The Arabic word zaʿatar (), may refer to one of several plants, as well as the spice mixture of the same name which the plants are associated with. In many English translations of the Bible, ''ezov'' is rendered as hyssop, hence the common name for bible hyssop, believed to be a different plant generally identified with ''Hyssopus officinalis''. Problems with id ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manakish
Manakish (), or in singular form man'ousheh (), or other spellings, is a popular Lebanese food consisting of dough topped with za'atar, cheese, or ground meat. It can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch. Traditionally, women would bake dough in a communal oven in the morning, to provide their family with their daily bread needs, and would prepare smaller portions of dough with different toppings for breakfast at this time. Manakish are popular across the Levant, and can also be found in neighboring regions, and centers of Levantine emigration. In 2023, manakish was inscribed to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists as an emblematic culinary practice in Lebanon. Etymology The word ''manaqish'' is the plural of the Arabic word ''manqūshah'' (from the root verb ''naqasha'' 'to sculpt, carve out' or engrave), meaning that after the dough has been rolled flat, it is pressed by the fingertips to create little dips for the topping to li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palestinian Cuisine
Palestinian cuisine consists of foods from or commonly eaten by Palestinians or in the region of Palestine, whether in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, or refugee camps in nearby countries, or by the Palestinian diaspora. The cuisine is a diffusion of the cultures of civilizations that settled in the region of Palestine, particularly during and after the Islamic era beginning with the Arab Ummayad conquest, then the eventual Persian-influenced Abbasids and ending with the strong influences of Turkish cuisine, resulting from the coming of the Ottoman Turks. It is similar to other Levantine cuisines, including Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian. Rice and variations of '' kibbee'' are common in the Galilee. West Bank cuisine consists of ''taboon'' bread, rice and meat, while fish and lentils are staples on the coast. Gaza cuisine is more diverse in terms of seafood and spices, with widespread use of chili peppers. The area is also home to many desserts, ranging from those ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lebanese Cuisine
Lebanese cuisine is the culinary traditions and practices originating from Lebanon. It includes an abundance of Whole grain#Varieties, whole grains, Fruit#Food uses, fruits, Vegetable#Cultivation, vegetables, fresh Fish (food), fish and seafood. Poultry#Poultry as food, Poultry is eaten more often than red meat, and when red meat is eaten, it is usually Lamb and mutton#Butchery and cookery, lamb and Goat#Meat, goat meat. Dishes include copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, and dishes are often seasoned with salt and lemon juice. Chickpeas and parsley are also staples of the Lebanese diet. Well-known dishes include ''Baba ghanoush, baba ghanouj'', ''tabbouleh'', ''sfeeha'', ''falafel'' and ''shawarma''. An important component of many Lebanese meals is ''hummus'', a chickpea puree dish, and many dishes are eaten with flatbread. A plate of veggies with tomatoes, cucumber, mint, olives and pickles is always served on table, and a plate of fruits at the end of the meal with a Leba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sumac
Sumac or sumach ( , )—not to be confused with poison sumac—is any of the roughly 35 species of flowering plants in the genus ''Rhus'' (and related genera) of the cashew and mango tree family, Anacardiaceae. However, it is '' Rhus coriaria'' that is most commonly used for culinary purposes. Sumac is prized as a spice—especially in Kurdish, Arab, Lebanese, Turkish, Armenian, Iranian, and other Eastern cuisines —and used as a dye and holistic remedy. The plants grow in subtropical and temperate regions, on nearly every continent except Antarctica and South America. Description Sumacs are dioecious shrubs and small trees in the family Anacardiaceae that can reach a height of . The leaves are usually pinnately compound, though some species have trifoliate or simple leaves. The flowers are in dense panicles or spikes long, each flower very small, greenish, creamy white or red, with five petals. The fruits are reddish, thin-fleshed drupes covered in varying levels of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satureja Thymbra
''Satureja thymbra'', commonly known as savory of Crete, whorled savory, pink savory, and Roman hyssop (Arabic Language, Arabic: ''za'atar rumi''; ''za'atar franji''), is a perennial-green dwarf shrub of the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, having strongly scented leaves, native to Libya, southeastern Europe from Sardinia to Turkey; Crete, Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel (Palestine (region), Palestine). The plant is noted for its dark-green leaves which grow on numerous, closely compacted branches, reaching a height of 20–50 cm. The plant bears pink to purple flowers that blossom between March and June. Habitat The semi-shrub grows mainly in Mediterranean woodlands and Garrigue, scrubland, adapting well to higher elevations, but also seen on rocky limestone gullies as an undergrowth, and alongside dirt roads. In Israel, the plant is commonly found in the Mount Carmel region, south of Haifa, as well as in the mountainous district of Upper Galilee, in Samaria and in the Judaean Mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sesame Seeds
Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods. World production in 2018 was , with Sudan, Myanmar, and India as the largest producers. Sesame seed is one of the oldest oilseed crops known, domesticated well over 3,000 years ago. ''Sesamum'' has many other species, most being wild and native to sub-Saharan Africa. ''S. indicum,'' the cultivated type, originated in India. It tolerates drought conditions well, growing where other crops fail. Sesame has one of the highest oil contents of any seed. With a rich, nutty flavor, it is a common ingredient in cuisines around the world. Like other foods, it can trigger allergic reactions in some people and is one of the nine most common allergens outlined by the Food and Drug Administration. Etymology The wo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satureja
''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to Southern Europe, southern and southeastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Historically, ''Satureja'' was defined broadly and many species of the subtribe Menthinae from throughout the world were included in it. In the modern cladistic era of botany, ''Satureja'' was redefined to a narrower monophyletic genus whose species are all native to Eurasia. Several species are cultivated as culinary herbs called savory, and they have become established in the wild in a few places. Description ''Satureja'' species may be annual plant, annual or perennial plant, perennial. They are low-growing herbs and subshrubs, reaching heights of . The leaf, leaves are long, with flowers forming in whorls on the stem, white to pale pink-violet. Ecology and cultivation ''Satureja'' species are food plants for the larva of some Lepidoptera (butter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Middle Eastern Cuisine
Middle Eastern cuisine includes a number of cuisines from the Middle East. Common ingredients include olives and olive oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates, sumac, chickpeas, mint, rice and parsley, and popular dishes include '' kebabs'', '' dolmas'', '' falafel'', '' baklava'', yogurt, '' doner kebab'', ''shawarma'' and '' mulukhiyah''. Geography The exact countries considered to be part of the Middle East are difficult to determine as the definition has changed over time and from source to source. Currently, the countries that are considered to comprise the Middle East are: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, including the various ethnic, cultural, religious and ethno-linguistic groups within these nations. Varieties * Arab cuisine * Assyrian cuisine * Bahraini cuisine * Balochi cuisine * Cypriot cuisine * Eastern Arabian cuisine * Egyptian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Labneh
Strained yogurt, Greek or Greek-style yogurt, yogurt cheese, sack yogurt, kerned yogurt or labneh is yogurt that has been strained to remove most of its whey, resulting in a thicker consistency than normal unstrained yogurt, while still preserving the distinctive sour taste of yogurt. Like many types, strained yogurt is often made from milk enriched by boiling off some water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. In Europe and North America, it is often made from low-fat or fat-free cow's milk. In Iceland a similar product named skyr is made. Strained yogurt is usually marketed in North America as "Greek yogurt" and in the United Kingdom as "Greek-style yoghurt", though strained yogurt is also widely eaten in Levantine, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian, and Eastern European cuisines, where it is often used in cooking, as it curdles less readily when cooked. It is used in a variety of dishes, cooked or not, savory or sweet. St ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Levant
The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is equivalent to Cyprus and a stretch of land bordering the Mediterranean Sea in Western AsiaGasiorowski, Mark (2016). ''The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa''. p. 5: "... today the term ''Levantine'' can describe shared cultural products, such as Levantine cuisine or Levantine archaeology". .Steiner & Killebrew, p9: "The general limits ..., as defined here, begin at the Plain of 'Amuq in the north and extend south until the Wâdī al-Arish, along the northern coast of Sinai. ... The western coastline and the eastern deserts set the boundaries for the Levant ... The Euphrates and the area around Jebel el-Bishrī mark the eastern boundary of the northern Levant, as d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maimonides
Moses ben Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (, ) and also referred to by the Hebrew acronym Rambam (), was a Sephardic rabbi and Jewish philosophy, philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages. In his time, he was also a preeminent astronomer and physician, serving as the personal physician of Saladin. He was born on Passover eve 1138 or 1135, and lived in Córdoba, Spain, Córdoba in al-Andalus (now in Spain) within the Almoravid dynasty, Almoravid Empire until his family was expelled for refusing to convert to Islam. Later, he lived in Morocco and Egypt and worked as a rabbi, physician and philosopher. During his lifetime, most Jews greeted Maimonides' writings on Halakha, Jewish law and Jewish ethics, ethics with acclaim and gratitude, even as far away as Iraq and Yemen. Yet, while Maimonides rose to become the revered head of the History of the Jews in Egypt, Jewish community in Egypt, his writings also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
