Olives?

[یاسمینه]

Yasmeenah, what is this Zaatar and what is it good for ?

Zatar is the mix of spices based on thyme. I saw in Lebanin, Syria, Emirates... I think it's typical for Middle East countries.
It's made of dried herbs like thyme, oregano, seasame and sumac seeds etc. There is no one receipe for zatar. You can make it yourself or buy it. It can be sprinkled on manakeesh, labneh, hummus, shankleesh (balls made of drained labneh). If you like to eat bread and olive you can add some zatar to olive. I also add it to fresh salads (based on lettuce, spinach etc).
I can't imagine my cuisine without zatar.

[Catya Sher]

I selected Zatar color 'ink' -
THANK YOU< Yasmeenah !!

[al-arab]

Za'tar is originally Iraqi (Babylonian). It is among our national food. It is very very good. Olives in general are fantastic from Morocco in the West to Iraq in the East and Greece north and Saudi Arabia south.

Za'atar-wu-zayt is especially delicious with kahqa. When Jews still lived in Iraq (hundred years ago) they were famous for their sweet kahqa famous throughout whole Middle East.

Eat this with labneh, markouk and salatet al-zaatar al-akhdar in Baghdad and you have wonderful and healthy food.

I imagine this is also great with Afghan naan bread.

[Catya Sher]

Really? Babylonian ?? That's NEAT
I was thinking that Iraq did not use Zatar at all.
That's good to know.

When I was there, I was told that the usual Iraqi breakfast
was meat dunked in milk -
is this TRUE?
Or just one person's breakfast style?
It sounded so un- appealing to me that I never forgot it !

[Gulbabo]

black olives !

and olive oil... oh i can't cook without it

and extra virgin olive oil with garlic bread

[al-arab]

Really? Babylonian ?? That's NEAT
I was thinking that Iraq did not use Zatar at all.
That's good to know.

When I was there, I was told that the usual Iraqi breakfast
was meat dunked in milk -
is this TRUE?
Or just one person's breakfast style?
It sounded so un- appealing to me that I never forgot it !

Dear Catya Sher:

This is true. You can read about it and I can post Arabic sources if you like.

See the Iraqi thread of mine and you will see what breakfast is eaten. Za'tar is old Babylonian (Iraqi) and very normal. Iraqi cuisine is part of Levantine cuisine with Persian, Gulf and Turkish influences as well.

I have never heard about meat dunked in milk as BREAKFAST?

This must be Kurdish or maybe some Shia influence. I have never heard about this as breakfast I must admit.

Maybe you visited Iraq during the embargo that killed thousands if not millions of civilian Iraqis from 1990-2003 and that food you mention was eaten by poor people that needed vitamines from the morning. People ate a lot of unormal food in that sad period during the embargo.

[Gulalai]

i dont like olives

[Laila]

^ I was waiting for someone to say that

[Gulalai]

i'm not alone :')

[Catya Sher]

Back to [from the rather useless diversion]

al-Arab's very USEFUL remarks --

No actually it was BEFORE the embargo, and in a strong Sunni
area, like around Ramadi. On the highway in from Amman,
I was having my usual meal of hummus with masses of olive oil
and a guy came over and laughed as though it was not robust enough.
He said with a smile that he and - I guess lots of people - I assumed it
was very frequent -
ate that combination which of course stuck in my mind all these years
because it sounded so repulsive...especially if one is not a meat - eater
or milk - consumer.

I am glad to get this better, bigger picture of Iraqi cuisine, because I really
believed him !!

I like ancient Babil too - so that makes a strong impression if the Babylonians
ate similar spices to zatar. The whole study of those earlier eras
are endlessly fascinating for me.

Thanks for replying.

[Gulalai]

Back to [from the rather useless diversion]

al-Arab's very USEFUL remarks --

oh thanks (:

[Gulalai]

adam marg

[Laila]

Back to [from the rather useless diversion]

Hagha che pe taso ta da? Da sta plaar thread da?

[Catya Sher]

I thought Laila and Gul. have more to offer than this silly chat back and forth
clogging up a thread.
Sounds like SHEENKAY's blabbing saying nothing, and flirting with any guys.
Let's keep to the real topic, pahzhalsta.
Look in contrast what Al-Arab has added to this Forum by unique cultural and other info on Iraq.
Whereas you two were trying to seek attention, rather than add constructive comments.
Come on, Gulalai, where are those videos about how it's important to pray
like you used to post ?!

[emkhan]

Hagha che pe taso ta da? Da sta plaar thread da?

I was not expecting this from you Laila. what happened to you ?