Zhourat

Zhourat is not one plant but a blend of dried flowers and herbs, and the name simply means “flowers”. It comes out of the old souks of Damascus and its surroundings, and the most visible address is still the historic Bzourieh market in the centre of the capital, where it sits loose by weight or in packets. Syrian emigration carried the habit into the Gulf, where it is now easy to find.

What goes into it

The blend shifts from seller to seller, but the backbone repeats: chamomile, sage, thyme, wild mint, anise, lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, violet, marshmallow flower and the bud of the Damascene rose. In spring people go out to the valleys, hills and fields to gather wild herbs, which are dried and sold through the rest of the year. No two stalls end up with the same mix.

How it is drunk

It is not boiled. The mix goes into hot water and steeps, and 10 minutes is enough; left in boiling water it turns harsh. Honey or sugar is optional and both are common. It is a winter drink and a hospitality drink, so the glass put in front of you in a Damascene home is as likely to be zhourat as tea.

Where to buy it

The Bzourieh market and the apothecary stalls around it are the easy answer: weighed out loose, or ready in packets. Take a handful and look at it before you buy — buds, leaves and flowers should still be distinguishable — and smell it before you ask the price. Being dry, it travels well in a suitcase and does not run into the liquid limits that rose water does.