Baharat

ORIGINS

The word baharat is thought to come from the Arabic word that means spice. It is said that the seasoning has originated in the North African regions, but it is mostly used in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan. In Israel this spice blend is known to have been introduced by the community of Jews that came from Iraq.

HOW TO USE

Because most of the spices in the mix are popular around the world, baharat can be used in many western dishes as well. You can use it for stir-frying meat and vegetables as well as for adding flavor to your soups and marinades. Consider frying the spice mix in oil to release the flavors and then using the oil to rub meat or vegetables with on the grill.

Baharat goes great with lamb, chicken, beef, pork, fatty fish (such as mackerel, salmon and sardines), lentils, rice, couscous, hummus, roast potato, bread, chickpeas, tomato, onion, garlic, lemon, cucumber, eggplant, zucchini, pine nuts, parsley, mint and yoghurt dips.

It is not a spicy blend and can work with a wide variety of dishes.