Za'atar noun

Both a wild thyme-like herb and the blend of that herb with sumac, sesame and salt that is eaten daily across the Levant.

Herbal, savoury and lemony with toasted sesame nuttiness; the sumac gives the tang.

Mix with olive oil and spread on flatbread for manakish; sprinkle over labneh, eggs, roast vegetables and salads; coat chicken before grilling. Each family and region has its own proportions.

The blend is the taste of a Levantine breakfast. Its base herb grows wild on the hills of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine, and picking it is a spring ritual.