Buzurat: Roasted Watermelon Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds & Levantine Savoury Mixes
Buzurat (called libb in Egypt) is the Arabic collective name for dry-roasted, lightly salted seeds and savoury snack mixes – led by watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sweet melon seeds. Shared in small bowls alongside mint tea or yerba mate, they are the signature evening snack of Levantine and Egyptian homes.
Neighbourhood Roasteries From Damascus to Cairo
Walk down any bustling street in Damascus, Aleppo, Beirut, Amman or Cairo and you will smell a mahmasa (nut and seed roastery) long before you see it. Seeds are tumbled in rotating drums with a touch of salt water so the outer shell turns crisp and easy to crack while the kernel inside toasts evenly without scorching.
The Big Four: Watermelon, Pumpkin, Sunflower and Sweet Melon Seeds
Each seed brings a distinct texture to the table: Egyptian watermelon seeds (bizr battikh or libb asmar, such as Al-Samir) boast a deep, smoky roast inside a firm dark shell. White pumpkin seeds (libb abyad) are broad and buttery, salted sunflower seeds (like Mila) crack effortlessly, and pale cantaloupe or sweet melon seeds offer delicate, aromatic crunch.
Syrian Qulubat & Libanese Castania Mixes for Tea and Mate
Alongside single-seed packs, mixed assortments (such as Syrian salted nut-and-seed blends or Lebanese Castania Extra and Super Extra mixes) combine roasted seeds with crunchy roasted chickpeas (qadama), peanuts, almonds and cashews. Set out in divided dishes, they accompany glasses of black tea, gourds of hot Syrian mate and Eid gatherings.
