Sumac - also known as sumach - is one of the most versatile spices from Middle Eastern cuisine. You may already know it as an important ingredient of za'atar, but sumac certainly deserves its own spotlight. In this blog you'll read exactly what it is, how to use it best and which delicious dishes you can make with it.
What is sumac?
Sumac is a dark red spice made from the dried and ground berries of the sumac plant. The flavor of sumac spices is distinctly tart - comparable to lemon, but more herbaceous and slightly earthier. In the Netherlands sumac is sometimes also found under the name zuurkruid.
The sumac plant grows in tropical climates around the world, mainly near the equator. Over the centuries sumac has had many uses: indigenous peoples in Central America mixed it with tobacco, and in Japan the juice of the red sumac berries was used as a dye. But the most popular use to this day remains its role as a fresh flavoring in the kitchen.
How do you use sumac?
With most spices