Zaatar Flavoured Parathas

Zaatar - A spice mix made of dried thyme, toasted white sesame seeds and salt

Our friend Lalit on his visit to Kuwait, picked up an Arabic spice mix for me called Zaatar. Though I'd like to think I'm well informed when it comes to food, even I had never heard of this spice until L showed me the pack and offered to share some with me. Sometimes, we do end up picking up some new ingredients / spices on our travels and on coming do not quite know what to do with them.


I suggested to L that he mix some Zaatar with some hung curd and olive oil (Labneh) and use it as a sandwich spread, which he did and absolutely loved.



Traditionally, Zaatar is a mix of dried thyme, toasted white sesame seeds and salt. It has a slightly bitter aromatic, smoky flavour.



According to Wiki:

The Lebanese believe that this particular spice mixture makes the mind
alert and the body strong. For this reason, children are encouraged to eat
a za'atar sandwich for breakfast before an exam. The mixture is
also popular in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel and North Africa.

It is used to spice meats and vegetables, and it is also mixed with olive oil to make a spread (za'atar-ul-zayt or zayt-tu-zaa'tar) which is used as a dip for sesame rings (ka'k). In Israel, za'atar is frequently sprinkled on hummus or served with olive oil as a spread. Za'atar can also be spread on a dough base for the Middle-Eastern equivalent of a miniature pizza known as Manakish.

Zataar flavoured parathas

I barely knew all these details when I decided to make a two layer roti, spreading a spoonful of Zataar in the middle. This would be something akin to a Manakish but with the spread inside the dough. I'm sure these could be made into smaller puris and fried for a delicious snack with an exotic taste.

Zataar Flavoured Parathas

Ingredients
1 heaped cup Whole wheat flour (atta)
1/2 Water (adjust quantity to bind atta into smooth dough)
1 tsp oil to knead dough to smooth ball

2 tbsp Zaatar spice mix

Directions
1. Use the water to bind atta into soft dough, knead well with 1 tsp oil. Keep aside for 15 -30 minutes.
2. Divide into 5-6 balls.
3. Follow the directions as shown in the pictures for Methi Paratha Pockets to make parathas with two layers. In Step 2, spread a tsp of Zaatar on one the lower circle and cover with upper circle as shown in Step 3. Roll out into parathas of desired thickness.
4. Cook until brown spots appear on both sides.
5. Serve with yogurt or raita for breakfast or a light lunch.

When I saw the pack of Zataar, my mind immediately thought of Z for Zaatar and N for Nupur so this is my entry for Nupur's much loved A-Z event which had all food bloggers searching for the Qs, Us, Xs, Ys and ofcourse Zs among vegetables and foods!!