Ingredients

• 1/2 kg whole grain barley (shi'eer bwajah) 

• 1/4 kg cumin seeds (kammoon 'areedh) 

• 1/4 kg corriander seeds (kuSber) 

• 1 cup sweet cumin 

• Olive oil 

• Sugar or dates

Directions

• Boil the barley in water, drain and dry completely.  

• Roast the dry barley (stir frequently in a hot, dry frying pan, for a few minutes, like you would do with coffee beans) 

• Do the same with the other three ingredients  

• Mill each ingredient and pass through a seive (gherbaal)  

• Mix thoroughly and place in dry containers  

• Label the containers (Z-mix) and date them - good for 2 yrs.

Serving the dish

• Pour the desired amount of the Z-mix into a bowl, moisten slightly with sprinkles of water and some olive oil, and mix with finger tips. The mixture should be a little dry, loose and olive-brown in color.  

• Traditionally, a handful of the mixture is squeezed into a stick shape ('abbood), and sweetened with sugar or eaten with dates. 

  For best results, zemmeetah is accompanied with a good size glass of genuine (full-strength) buttermilk, followed by a cup of undersweetened green tea. (the original formula).