Majitoom

My favorite Lebanese restaurant has products that they sell retail through a local high end grocer. Their baby ghannooj in the restaurant is incredible. I intensely dislike citric acid, so I've never bought it from the grocer. Last night I did. They somehow captured the wood fire roasted eggplant flavor. Apparently, they do use the eggplants from the restaurant. I do detect the citric acid. Blech. My question is does anyone know what majitoom is? I googled and found nada. The ingredients are "fresh smoked eggplant, tahini, majitoom, citric acid, salt. I'm clueless.

Posted by: Susan W
July 10, 2016

4161 views
24 Comments

24 Comments

denise January 18, 2017

Hi Everyone! Magitoom is a blend of raw garlic, vegetable oil, citric acid and salt. It emulsified into a paste. We sell it alone and also add it to our Al Amir hummus and Baba Ghanooj. It enhances the flavor of all our products. Its not MSG. All our products have no preservatives and made from
quality products. we sell them at Fred meyer and other grocery stores in Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Oregon.

Thad October 6, 2016

I too was just searching for majitoom. I resulted in sending e-mail to Al-Amir and I got this in reply:
"Magitoom is Al Amir blend of fresh garlic, lemon and oil. It is an ingredient in all of our products. It is sold as an individual product in the Fred Mayer deli. It can be used in salads, marination for any sort of meat fish or vegetable, pasta, pizza etc."

Susan W. October 6, 2016

I bought some from Fred Meyer. I use it a lot!! I've attempted to recreate it, but there's just something about theirs. If I get closer to the taste, I'll post it.

Connie August 17, 2016

Standing in Fred Meyers store looking at Majitoom. The ingredients are fresh garlic, olive oil, salt and natural citric acid... Majitoom!

Susan W. August 17, 2016

That's crazy. So it's basically chopped garlic? Shazam!!

dinner A. July 12, 2016

Could it possibly be sumac? The restaurant website also say something about "majitoom" being in their fattoush, and sumac is the spice you'd put in fattoush. I'm sure sumac would be a delicious addition to baba ghanoush.

Susan W. July 12, 2016

Great guess. There is a sumac note both in the restaurant and in the premade product. It's hard to separate the citric acid from that lemony note, but it's there.

Natalie R. October 7, 2016

I found a picture of someone's fattoush salad COVERED in sumac, and they called it "fattoush with majitoom."

PHIL July 12, 2016

Maybe we should suggest Majitoom as a name for Sarah's cat.......

Susan W. July 12, 2016

That's a fabulous idea. Maji for short. :)

Nancy July 12, 2016

No clue, and I make many Middle Eastern foods.
If the restaurant is willing to put the ingredient list on the package, maybe they'll answer questions about majitoom.
Or maybe you've asked and they're protecting their secret.
Another thought...write to cookbook authors who know Middle East & North Africa and might recognize a (perhaps bad) transliteration...Ana Sortun (Turkey), Claudia Roden (Egypt, originally), Kitty Morse (don't know where), Faye Levy, Clifford A Wright. I would include Paula Wolfert in that list, but she is mostly hors de combat these days.

BerryBaby July 12, 2016

SusanW found out from the restaurant it's an in house spice mix.

PHIL July 12, 2016

yes, but do we know what the secret spice mix is made of?

BerryBaby July 12, 2016

It's probably like Kentucky Fried chicken secret recipe. They want to keep it private.

Susan W. July 12, 2016

My friend Dawn was not able to pry the exact spice blend from anyone in the restaurant. She's close enough to them that she's been known to wander back to the kitchen, so I'll just let it remain a mystery. :)

BerryBaby July 12, 2016

SusanW, so happy you were able to find out the answer!

PHIL July 12, 2016

It is probably some variation of the Lebanese 7 spice blend

BerryBaby July 11, 2016

You may have already done this, but I'd call the restaurant and ask them. I have never heard of that ingredient either, maybe it's a combination of different spices/herbs?

Susan W. July 11, 2016

I actually haven't called, but plan to today. I figured if it was a thing, someone here would know. I'll bet you're correct in that it's probably a spice blend.

Maedl July 10, 2016

I wonder if it may be MSG. I found it mentioned on the site of a Lebanese restaurant, Al Amir in Portland. Whatever it is, you can buy it at Fred Meyers--whatever that is.

Susan W. July 10, 2016

Yes, that is where I've had this Baba Ghannooj. I think it's illegal to call msg by another name, but I will look into that.

Fred Meyer is the store in the PNW that carries everything from tomatoes to bath towels to furniture.

PHIL July 11, 2016

Fred Meyers is a supermarket on the west coast. I asked my Palestinian friend and he had not heard of it but thinks it's some regional spice blend.

Susan W. July 11, 2016

Phil you and BerryBaby are right. My friend and her husband went for dinner and asked. It's a spice blend that is named after the person who works in their kitchen and came up with it. It's interesting because I don't detect spices. It all just comes together in deliciousness.

Susan W. July 10, 2016

Oops..should read "baba" not "baby".

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