In the heart of tenth-century Baghdad, a scribe named Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq compiled Kitab al-Tabikh, or "The Book of Dishes." This remarkable cookbook preserved the sophistication of Abbasid cuisine and captured the warrior spirit of the time in recipes like Hamassiyah.

Named after the Arabic word hamas, meaning zeal or battle fervor, Hamassiyah is a bold, peppery meat dish that may have once fueled the Abbasid elite and the armies of Saladin. Its rich spice profile, efficient preparation, and dry texture made it both a symbol of luxury in the courts and a practical, energy-rich food for military campaigns.

A Dish of Spices and Strength

Hamassiyah is notable for its heavy use of black pepper, a defining ingredient of medieval Arab cooking. This was not the mild use of pepper seen in modern recipes. Hamassiyah demanded generous amounts of it, resulting in a dish as hot and intense as the warriors who ate it.

In addition to black pepper, the dish often included:

• Coriander seeds and sometimes fresh leaves

• Cumin for an earthy, warming note

• Garlic, added late to retain its pungency

• Mastic, a fragrant tree resin believed to support digestion

• Vinegar to balance the heat with acidity

• Salt, olive oil, and occasionally herbs like rue or mint

Hamassiyah was typically served as a dry meat dish. It was not a stew or a broth but something to be scooped up with bread, which made it ideal for mobile eating.

Saladin and the Warrior's Table

By the twelfth century, Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi, known in the West as Saladin, was leading Muslim forces during the Crusades. As the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, he was known for his discipline, religious devotion, and logistical brilliance.

Although no surviving Ayyubid recipe collection details what his soldiers ate, historical evidence and culinary continuity suggest that dishes like Hamassiyah were likely part of a soldier’s diet.

The dish was portable, calorically dense, and medicinally valuable. The heavy use of black pepper was believed to warm the body and protect against illness. Garlic, vinegar, and mastic were also thought to preserve health and balance the body's humors during long campaigns.

Hamassiyah also matched the cultural symbolism of its name. The word hamas referred to martial vigor and zeal. It was the kind of dish a warrior might eat the night before a siege or after a long march. One can imagine Saladin’s forces gathered near the hills of Jerusalem or along the Orontes River, tearing warm bread and scooping this spicy meat from shared bowls under a star-lit sky.

A Tangled Name: Is It Related to Hummus?

There is a modern confusion around the name Hamassiyah because of the Arabic root ḥ-m-ṣ. This root can produce two very different meanings. One is hamas, which means zeal or courage. The other is hummus, which refers to chickpeas.

This has led some to wonder whether Hamassiyah is related to the famous chickpea dip. But historically and culinarily, they are entirely different dishes. Hamassiyah in its classical form is a meat dish centered on black pepper and warming spices. It does not contain chickpeas and is not a spread or a paste.

That said, some food historians speculate that later versions or rural adaptations of the dish may have included chickpeas, especially in periods when meat was scarce. Over centuries, the similarities in spelling and pronunciation may have led to confusion.

Why Revive Hamassiyah Today

Recreating Hamassiyah is a way to taste the past. This dish reflects the values and tastes of medieval Islamic society. It was a food of strength, both physical and spiritual. It united spice trade routes with battlefield camps. It is a dish that speaks not only to the stomach but to the character of a time.

Serve it with warm flatbread, a side of fresh herbs, and pickled vegetables. The result is bold, restorative, and unforgettable.