Sumac
Rhus coriaria · Spice
Top 10 pairings
Sumac is a tangy, brick-crimson spice ground from the dried fruits of the Mediterranean sumac shrub, Rhus coriaria. Bright, fruity-sour and gently astringent, it was the Levant's everyday souring agent long before lemons arrived — dusted over grilled meats, hummus and rice, stirred into fattoush, and bound with thyme and sesame into the za'atar blend.
Picking a good onedrag
Just milled, damp, deep red and sharply tartFaded brown and dusty, the fruit gone
Shop freshEveryday bestBuy on the label, not the look. Pure sumac lists one ingredient, and salt, citric acid and wheat bran have all been cut into ground sumac invisibly.
SmellSoftly tart, the fruit note thinning
Berries or groundGround, sealed, sumac the only ingredient
ColourBrick red, a shade lighter, still even
Feel of the powderDrier and looser, still gritty