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Sumac is a tart and colorful spice used in many Middle Eastern recipes. Add flavor to marinades, sprinkle it on hummus, or make your own homemade za'atar seasoning with sumac!
Sumac is a flowering shrub or tree that produces berries. While some sumac plants can be poisonous upon contact similar to poison oak, the type of sumac we're talking about is edible and delicious! The berries are dried and ground into a powder and used in a variety of cuisines.
Sumac has a distinct acidic, tart flavor. It's similar to lemon but doesn't have as much of a fruity taste. The sourness however is balanced out with a slight sweetness.
The spice is a robust, deep, purple and dark red color. It's usually sold as a coarse powder.
Where does it come from?
The wild sumac plant grows in mediterranean climates. It's found in the Middle East, parts of Europe, Africa, and North America.
There are accounts of the ancient spice being used all over the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America dating back to as early as the 11th century!
The slightly sour berries can be used fresh or dried in so many ways! In addition to making your own za'atar or shawarma seasoning, here are some ideas to get you started:
In marinades - use the spice to season beef, lamb, pork, or chicken. You can make a dry rub, or a marinade like in this recipe for Sumac Chicken.
On hummus - sprinkle the dried spice on hummus to add a zesty flavor and beautiful color.
For drinks - you can make Sumac-ade (think a mix between lemonade and cranberry juice). Or, start your Sunday off with a Sumac Bloody Mary!
As an alternative to citrus - many people can't enjoy citrus due to it's acidic nature. Substitute the berries or spice for lemons or limes in your favorite recipes.
Eat the berries - pop the berries for a sour snack, or include them in a fresh salad.
Flavor salad dressings - add sumac to your favorite salad dressing for a burst of color and fresh citrus flavor. Try it in the dressing for this delicious Fattoush Salad recipe!
Add color - garnish food right before serving with a dust of dried sumac. The gorgeous hue is perfect for adding that WOW factor to dips, veggies, salads, or meat. You'll see it pictured above sprinkled on a delicious Chicken Shawarma Salad!
How to store it
Keep dried sumac in an airtight container in a dark, cool place like the pantry. It will keep for up to 2 years, but as the spice is exposed to heat, light and air, the flavors will begin to dull.
Where to buy it
You can find the ground dried berries in most grocery stores these days. Check the spice aisle at your local store, Middle Eastern markets, or even World Market. You can also order the ground sumac that you see pictured throughout this post on Amazon.
Easy substitutes for sumac
If you're in a pinch and don't have any ground sumac, there are some alternatives. Lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon pepper are popular substitutes. You can also use vinegar.
No matter what you choose, you may want to use a little less. Sumac tends to have a milder flavor than lemon and vinegar.
Health benefits
In addition to being extremely tasty and beautiful, sumac has wonderful health benefits. Centuries ago it was used medicinally in Native American, Middle Eastern, and South Asian cultures. This is likely due to the fact that it's packed with antioxidants and vitamin C.
Additionally, some studies have shown that it can help lower blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Another study found evidence that it can help reduce muscle pain.
Easy recipes to make with sumac
Now that you're familiar with the vibrant spice, try using it in any of these recipes:
Shawarma Seasoning
Cauliflower Shawarma Bowl
Chicken Shawarma Salad
Za'atar Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl
Learn about more of our favorite ingredients
Check out ouringredient guide, packed full of information about all of our favorite lesser-known ingredients, likeharissa,coconut aminosandturmeric!
We love sumac in marinades and rubs, in spice mixes for seasoning roasted and grilled meats. Try sprinkling a pinch of sumac over hummus and creamy dips, salads, side dishes, and fish.
Made from the dried and ground berries of the wild sumac flower, sumac is a tangy spice with a sour, acidic flavor reminiscent of lemon juice. This fragrant spice is used to brighten up dry rubs, spice blends like za'atar, and dressings.
The processed sumac takes on a dark red-burgundy color and the texture of ground nuts. It has a similar smell and taste to lemon but is not as sour. Sumac is widely used as an acidulant in Arabic and Lebanese cooking, and similar to salt, it brings out the natural flavors of the foods it is cooked with.
I dust it on top of everything—feta cheese with olive oil, baba ganoush, hummus.I put it on roasted chicken and fish. It has a lemony flavor to it, and I love the color. It's essentially a dried flower, and just like with any spice, the fresher you can get the better.
Sumac works well as a seasoning for grilled meats, such as chicken, beef, or lamb – sprinkle it over marinated meats or use it in spice rubs to add a unique flavour – and can also be used to season roasted vegetables.
Sumac is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory spices out there. 1 It ranks high on the ORAC chart, which means it's packed with antioxidants and has the ability to neutralize free radicals that can cause cancer, heart disease, and signs of aging.
Sumac supplementation has decreased systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg (128.8 ± 21.4 at the baseline vs. 123.2 ± 17.6 after 6 weeks intervention, P = 0.001). In placebo group, a significant decrease was seen in waist circumference (107.6 ± 10.2 at the baseline vs. 106.5 ± 10.3 after 6 weeks, P = 0.01).
The most commonly eaten parts of sumac plants are the ripe red berries. These acidic and tart berries can be eaten raw or dried, though they're most popularly used in the form of a berry tea or sumac-ade. Sumac-ade is best when sweetened with maple sugar and can be served hot or cold (Moerman 1998: 471-473).
The red berries are edible and have a wonderful lemon-y flavor. You can find the red spice made from sumac's dried, crushed berries in Middle Eastern markets where it is a staple in that cuisine. Sumac spice is wonderful in marinades for chicken and kebab or in salad dressings.
As a food, the sumac drupes were eaten or consumed as tea. The bark was eaten as a delicacy and sprouts were consumed raw. Rhus spp. has varied medicinal uses, including treating sunburn and blisters, venereal disease, and acting as a galactagogue, antiemetic, and antidiarrheal.
Sumac is tart, lemony, tangy, with almost a tinge of vinegar flavour. Some might even call it sour. In fact, the Phoenicians used it for its tart, acidic properties to flavour foods before the Romans introduced lemons.
What Does Sumac Taste Like? Sumac is made from the dried and ground 'berries' of the plant's natural wild flower. The taste is tangy with a sour, acidic flavour reminiscent of lemon juice.
Sumac replacements range from lemon zest, lemon pepper, lemon juice or vinegar to replicate the tart flavor of sumac. But, beware that you should use less of these substitutes than the recipe calls for as they are more powerful than the sumac flavor.
Sumac is tart, lemony, tangy, with almost a tinge of vinegar flavour. Some might even call it sour. In fact, the Phoenicians used it for its tart, acidic properties to flavour foods before the Romans introduced lemons.
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