It’s Time To Add Some Sumac To Your Pantry

Sumac is a versatile spice, offering zesty, tangy and fruity notes to savoury and sweet dishes alike. And while it’s commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking, it doesn’t have to be limited to it.

What are the origins of sumac? 

Sumac comes from the dried berries of the Rhus coriaria shrub, which grows abundantly across the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. Interestingly, sumac grows in North America as well. When chef Fadi Kattan of the Toronto Palestinian restaurant Louf first visited the city, he was surprised to find sumac trees growing near the city’s midtown Evergreen Brickworks ravines. 

At Arbequina restaurant in Toronto, chef Moeen Abuzaid uses sumac sourced from across Jordan (the spice varies in flavour depending on where it’s grown).

 What is sumac’s flavour profile? 

“Sumac tastes like citrus in powdered form,” says Abuzaid. It’s vibrant, tangy and tart. “Think lemon zest but more nuanced and earthy,” he adds. The spice has been used for centuries in cooking to brighten up dishes when citrus wasn’t readily available. Sumac also has a grainy texture, so you can feel it move around and dissolve in your mouth as you eat.

How is sumac used in cooking? 

Kattan’s favourite way to use sumac is in traditional Palestinian dishes like musakhan, roasted chicken served over taboon (a Palestinian flatbread) topped with onion and spices. For everyday cooking, he suggests marinating chicken skewers in lemon juice, parsley and sumac before grilling. It also works beautifully as a garnish, he notes; he loves to sprinkle sumac on sunny-side-up eggs.

Abuzaid suggests tossing sumac with thinly sliced onions, olive oil and a pinch of salt to create a quick pickled onion–style topping for wraps or salads (as we do in our recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Halloumi Salad). Or stir it into thick yogurt with a squeeze of lemon to make a tangy dip. 

Both chefs warn: Be careful exposing the spice to heat, as it burns quickly. When barbecuing, Kattan suggests sprinkling it on just after the meat or vegetables are removed from the grill.

How do you shop for and store sumac? 

Kattan is wary of sumac that looks a little too red. “Put a pinch of that sumac in the palm of your hand and rub it,” he says. If it leaves red marks, then it may have had food colouring added to it. “Sumac has to be a shiny Bordeaux colour,” says Kattan.

Ground sumac can last several months, while whole berries can last up to a year. To check for freshness, give it a sniff. A bright, fruity aroma means it’s good to use. If it smells like nothing, it’s time for a new batch. Store it in an airtight container, tucked away in a cool, dark place.