Depending on where in the world you live, finding ingredients for some of the Middle East’s most mouthwatering recipes can be tricky. In a zone fraught with conflict, the region’s delicious cuisine is perhaps one of its most unifying factors.
So if you’re planning a traditional recipe away from home, where do you source these elusive ingredients? Many feel frustrated at the lack of choice in local supermarkets when it comes to niche ‘world food’ products, and rightly so, since these fresh and flavorsome options make great additions to a healthy diet. For this reason, Middle Eastern online grocery brands are a saving grace. The stores listed below are some of the best around.
Zamouri Spices
When you have everything you need for a recipe except that one spice, it’s frustrating. Particularly when it’s a spice that can be hard to find, such as arrowroot powder or tamarind. Luckily, Zamouri Spices stocks just about every spice you’ll need for authentic Middle Eastern cooking, serving spice blends for tagines, etc. along with individual varieties. They also sell argan oil, traditional cookware, and natural skincare products.
Zamouri Spices is a family business, founded in 2003 by Majid and Mary Elbertai, who come from a long line of Moroccan spice merchants. They consider themselves ‘purveyors of exquisite gourmet seasonings’ and include plenty of recipes and instructional videos on the website to provide inspiration and direction when cooking, such as ‘How to season a tagine’ and ‘How to prepare a clay majmar’.
Whether you’re planning a baked kibbeh, chicken mhammer, or fennel tagine, Zamouri Spices is your best bet for spicing things up, and offers free shipping on orders over $100. They’re active on social media too, so check out what they’re up to on Facebook.
Hashems Roastery & Market
Hashems has a beautiful website and sells all kinds of delicacies that you might find in a Middle Eastern market, including fine Arabic food, baklava, Turkish coffee, roasted nuts, fresh baked pita bread, and of course, spices. They also have some great recipes for beef kabobs, fattoush, and eggplant dip. It pretty much has everything you could want food-wise, along with a range of kitchenware and cookbooks.
Hashems prides itself on never selling premixed products that contain additives, fillers or preservatives, so you know you’re getting the real thing. The nuts and coffee are freshly roasted and delivered for optimal freshness. It was originally founded in 1959 when Abu Ali Sheik Theeb opened the Hashems Nuts & Coffee Gallery in the southern Lebanese village of Bint JBeil, and has since become an online emporium.
Hashems offers free shipping on orders over $59, and if you need any help, you can check out their live chat feature.
Tulumba
Tulumba describes itself as an ‘international goods’ store, and has been in business since 2003. More of a general store that also happens to sell groceries, it sells international produce worldwide, from food and books, to home decor and jewelry. Tulumba is based in Pittsburgh, US, and is famed for its excellent Turkish food section, which includes baked goods, dairy, meat & fish, oils, herbs & spices, coffee, condiments, sweets, pickles, and teas.
Tulumba is a particularly user-friendly site with an impressive houseware section, and best of all, its prices are reasonable. A nice touch is the items for sale by international artists and craftsmen, as well as its flower delivery service.
Arez Food
Arez Food is an online authentic Lebanese supermarket based in the UK, selling all of your usual bread, coffee, drinks, and nuts. This family-run business delivers throughout the UK and Europe, giving Arab expats the ability to cook their favorite dishes from home (as well as supplying wholesale ingredients for shops and restaurants). Arez Food will often stock new brands based on its customers’ recommendations and requests. It also does amazing pastries, which are freshly cooked and delivered every Saturday.
Ordering with Arez Food usually takes 3-5 working days to arrive via courier service, so you may need to order products in advance if you’re planning something particular, be it stuffed vine leaves or za’atar. The store has both English and Arabic speakers, so whatever you need, someone should be able to help you.
Persian Basket
And finally, one of my favorites: Persian Basket. This online Persian/Iranian grocery store ships anywhere in the US or Canada, often sending out orders the same day. Based on its core values of time, culture, and culinary arts, Persian Basket makes it quick and convenient to order the fresh, high-quality ingredients you need, without driving miles out of town to find the nearest international foods store – be it lemons, pomegranates, figs, labneh, fresh baked lavash, pure saffron, or squash seeds.
As with all of the best Middle Eastern online grocery brands, Persian Basket also stocks an abundance of kitchenware and books, along with gift cards – ideal for the connoisseur of Persian cooking! You can follow Persian Basket on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: there are some mouthwatering pictures on the latter.