The Spice Rack

There are many spices that are specific to an Arabic kitchen. Some of these spices are listed below with a brief description. They can be found at most Arabic food markets. The most common of spices is "Baharat," which literally means spice. Many countries have there own variation of this spice, including Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and others.

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Anise seeds -yansoon- small brown seeds from the anise pods with a sweet licorice taste.
Bay leaf -warak gar-
Cardamom -hab hale-
Cayenne pepper
Cinnamon -kirfa-
Cloves -kibish kuronful
Coriander seeds -kuzbarah
Constarch -nasha
Cumin seeds -camoon
Dried limes -loumi
Flour -taheen-
Garlic -toum-
Mint -naana-
Mixed Spices -Baharat- commonly used mixed spice blend that varies amoung middle eastern countries.
Nutmeg -joz el teeb
Oregeno -zaatar akhdar-
Osfour -give a yellow color to rice and meat dishes without adding any flavor.
Pepper -filfell
Pomegrante syrup -dibis al ruman-
Rose spices -kamouneh-
Rose water -maward-
Saffron -zafaran-
Sesame paste -tahini-
Sesame seeds -sumsum
Sumac -a dark reddish powder from the sumac berry. Adds a mild sour taste and red color to dishes.
Thyme -zaatar-
Tumeric -kurkum-
Zaatar - mix of thyme, oregano, sumac, and sesame seeds