ثومية
toumya
In Arabic, garlic sauce is called ثومية (toumya).
The term ثومية refers specifically to the creamy, emulsified garlic sauce common in Levantine cuisine, rather than describing any sauce that simply contains garlic.
Which one should you use?
While ثومية is the standard term, the formal way to say garlic sauce is صلصة الثوم and the informal version is تومية.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Lebanese Arabic, garlic sauce is commonly called الثومية.
How do you pronounce it?
toumya
Did you know?
- In many Levantine restaurants, ثومية is not just a condiment but is used as a thick base layer to separate the grilled meat from the bread in a shawarma wrap.
- Despite being a creamy 'white sauce', traditional ثومية contains no dairy, relying instead on a starch or egg-white emulsion to achieve its thickness.
- The shift from the formal ثومية to the informal تومية mirrors a wider phonetic trend in spoken Arabic where the 'th' sound is simplified to a 't'.
Examples in context
- أرغب في بعض صلصة الثوم، من فضلك.I would like some garlic sauce, please.
- أعطني التومية، من فضلك.Pass me the garlic sauce, please.
Example conversation
Nour and Omar are ordering food at a restaurant.
- نور Nourعمر، هل تريد ثومية مع البطاطس؟Omar, hal turīdu thūmiyya ma' al-baṭāṭis?Omar, do you want garlic sauce with the fries?
- عمر Omarنعم، من فضلك يا نور.Na'am, min faḍlika yā Nour.Yes, please, Nour.
- نور Nourسأطلب علبة ثومية كبيرة لنا.Sa-aṭlub 'ulbat thūmiyya kabīra lanā.I will order a large garlic sauce for us.
- عمر Omarفكرة رائعة، شكراً لكِ.Fikra rā'i'a, shukran laki.Great idea, thank you.
