End of Year Gift Archaeology: What to do with the spices?
Among other items, this year's End of Year Gift at the Faculty of Archaeology featured three sachets of spices from Syria. We have asked our colleague Lama Abboud what to prepare with these spices.
Zaatar (blue sachet)
Lama's favorite recipe with zaatar:
'I like to put a piece of bread or baguette and spread olive oil over it. Then add zaatar (a kind of oregano). Then add fresh tomatoes pieces, olives and mint leaves. Role the bread or close the baguette and enjoy!'
Seven spices (yellow sachet)
This mix of seven spices forms an essential part of the Syrian pantry. The spices can be used in a wide variety of dishes, like:
- Rice dishes (e.g., riz bi sha'ir)
- Meat rubs, particularly lamb or beef
- Stews
- Stuffed vegetables (mahshi), such as zucchini or cabbage
- It is often used simply as a seasoning applied to almost any savory dish during cooking.
Potato spices (purple sachet)
Add these spices with some salt while preparing potatoes (either baking or boiling).
Enjoy!