Spice
Sumac
سماق
Also called ground sumac, sumaq
Ground dried berries of the sour sumac bush, a deep burgundy powder. It is the lemon-dust of fattoush, grilled meats and a lot of Levantine finishing.
Origin
The Levant and eastern Mediterranean, where the berries were a souring agent before cheap lemons were year-round. Turkish, Lebanese and Iranian tins are the usual shop finds.
Flavour
Lemon peel, tannin and a little berry, without vinegar’s fermented edge. Fresh sumac is bright and astringent; stale sumac is brown and dusty.
How it is made
Red berries are dried and ground, sometimes with a little salt. The best is deep red-purple; brown powder is old or extended. Whole berries exist but most kitchens buy the grind.
How to use it
Dust at the end. Sprinkle over fattoush, onions, grilled lamb or hummus so the sour stays volatile. Cooking it hard in a stew dulls the citrus. A teaspoon in an oil dressing, without lemon, is a legitimate sour. Taste the tin for salt first. It is not chilli heat, and it is not a one-for-one for lemon juice when a marinade needs liquid. If the colour looks rusty brown, buy a new bag.
Storage
Airtight, dark, cool. It fades in a clear jar on the hob.
Recipes using it
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