Sumac

Sumac, an ancient spice

Its Arabic name “sumaq” (red) evokes the color and Mediterranean origin of this berry. It has been known for centuries as a precious spice, in the kitchen and among natural remedies, available in dried and ground form. Used for centuries in numerous recipes of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, of which you can savor all the flavor, using sumac. Due to its sour taste, which evokes lemon and vinegar, and its citrus fragrance, sumac has often been used as a substitute for these foods. Mixed with salt, it has been inserted in a versatile way in recipes with onions, vegetables, legumes, fish and meat. Its perfect combination with these ingredients makes it a perfect spice for flavoring recipes of salads, side dishes, first and second courses where a touch of acidity and spice can make a difference. In Italy this spice is known as sumac and has been widely used in the past in the Sicilian territory; neglected for many decades, today it is returning to the forefront - perfect for classic dishes or to experiment with ancient and original flavors.

What are the properties of Sumac

Rich in beneficial properties, Sumac is known as one of the most powerful antioxidant spices. It contains an excellent amount of antioxidant phenolic compounds (polyphenols and flavonoids); in particular anthocyanidins - an element that is considered the reason for so much benefit. The presence of anthocyanidins in a very high percentage, about ten percent, makes sumac a natural remedy for neutralizing free radicals, obtaining protective benefits on cells and tissues, and as a valid ally for the well-being of the cardiovascular system. For this antioxidant activity, Sumac is studied for its possible effects on carbohydrate metabolism, in contrast to cholesterol. Sumac has been used for centuries for correct gastrointestinal transit, promoting the regularity of food transit as a spice. Relatedly, in the diet this spice provides diuretic properties, promoting the drainage of body fluids. In addition to the notable presence of antioxidants, sumac contains numerous beneficial elements and nutraceuticals useful for a healthy diet. It provides B vitamins, tannins, organic acids (linoleic, malic, oleic, stearic), mineral salts such as magnesium, calcium, iron, copper and zinc. Regarding sumac, the contraindications are due to excessive consumption, and possible adverse reactions for those who are allergic to cashews and mangoes. Furthermore, it is essential not to pick the fruits independently without fully knowing the difference with the so-called poisonous sumac - a plant that produces white fruits and can trigger hives and itching on the skin.

How can I buy Sumac?

This spice is not easy to find in normal supermarkets or grocery stores, given that it is a berry that is little used and known, outside of Sicily. If you are looking for a high quality and nutritionally valuable version of Sumac powder, you can find it in our online spice shop Natura d'Oriente. You can buy Sumac in packs with variable weights between 50 g, 75 g, 100 g, 250 g, 500 g and 1000 g. You will find a convenient price and airtight freshness-saving packs, for better conservation in the pantry.

How is Sumac used in cooking?

This spice is not very well known today, but in the past it was widely used in cooking, especially in Middle Eastern dishes. It is known as sumac in Italian recipes, where it is traditionally used in Sicily. Its use in cooking comes from the version of dried and ground fruits, reduced to a powdered spice - with a pleasant grainy consistency in dishes and marinades.
Historically, its sour taste has made sumac a substitute for lemon juice to season meat, fish, vegetables and legumes. It adds acidity and color to dishes, particularly enhancing the flavor of sauces and dressings. Just a sprinkling of the spice is enough to flavor dishes and sauces, with its unique acidic taste that evokes vinegar or lemon. In preparations for more people, a few minutes before the end of cooking, ½ teaspoon of sumac includes the sour tone of this spice in the dishes. Sumac should be added at the end of cooking, because excessive heat makes the spice bitter and releases a less pleasant aroma. The deep color of sumac also makes for a striking, bright garnish as a final sprinkle on dishes.

Sumac Recipes

Middle Eastern Cuisine: Sumac is popular in Syrian and Lebanese dishes, where it is used to flavor fish, while in Turkey it is added to salads. In Iranian and Georgian cuisine it is added to kebabsand seasoning meat. In the Lebanese fattoush salad recipe, the flavor of sumac is combined with lettuce, cucumber, onion, radishes, tomatoes and toasted or fried flat bread. The spice is the origin of summaqia, a rich and spicy dish of Islamic cuisine based on lamb meat.
Savory recipes: it is excellent for flavoring lentil soups, onion dishes, salad and grilled vegetables. It adds a special tone to rice and cereal dishes, with a pleasant tart aftertaste when basmati rice accompanies vegetables, shrimp and legumes. It goes well with first courses of fish or vegetables, and maintains a fresh tone in side dishes (broccoli, courgettes, carrots). You can sprinkle sumac on potato salads, eggs, baked goods (cakes, bread, crackers, breadsticks)
Meat and fish: Delicious for a slightly acidic touch in chicken stuffing, sumac pairs well with other spices in meatballs and morsels of white meat (turkey, lamb) and stews. Delicious on white fish, it creates a slightly spicy aroma and a touch of acidity from the sumac that enhances the seafood flavors without overpowering them.
Sauces: Traditionally a flavoring for yogurt sauces, sumac can be successfully added to marinades for white meat and fish. It is best mixed with onions and oil, paired with black pepper, and is excellent for a acidic touch on hummus, tzatziki or baba ganoush (eggplant dip).
Drinks: Its deep red color and citrus scent make this spice ideal for creating a sweet and sour drink known as sumac lemonade.
Blends: It is an ingredient in the classic za’atar spice blend; a typical Middle Eastern mix for seasoning meats. It is diluted in olive oil at the time of use, so that the spices infuse their flavor into the liquid. The blend shows the excellent combination of sumac with herbs and seasonings such as fennel, marjoram, thyme, savory, sesame, oregano, paprika and coriander.
Dessert: The citrus flavor pairs well with preparations with mandarins, strawberries, lemon, chocolate and yogurt. For sweet recipes, sumac should be calibrated well, as it is a spice with a particular flavor.

The Recipe: Amberjack in foil

Ingredients:

4 Amberjack slices - 1 lemon - 1 teaspoon dried oregano - 1 teaspoon sumac (sumac) - 3 spring onions - extra virgin olive oil to taste - salt to taste - pepper to taste.

Preparation

Wash the Amberjack under cold running water and clean it. Drain it, patting it dry with absorbent paper. Place the Amberjack slices, well separated, in a baking tray lined with baking paper to create a foil parcel. Wash and cut the lemon into thin slices, which you will place on the fish. Sprinkle the slices with oregano and parsley. Clean the spring onions, cut them into thin rounds and put them in the parcel. Season everything with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of each spice: sumac, salt and pepper. Close the parcel and put it in the oven. Cook at 180°C for about 15 minutes. Remove and garnish the amberjack while hot with a drizzle of raw oil, sprinkling the remaining sumac. Serve warm.

Plant and origins of Sumac

The spice we know as sumac, sumak, summaq or sumac comes from the Rhus coriaria plant. It is a small shrub of the Anacardiaceae family, native to southern Europe and now widespread in various parts of the world.
It has historically been cultivated in Sicily and the Middle East, and was already known to the Egyptians and Greeks, who in addition to grinding its fruits to obtain the spice, also used sumac bark and leaves as a mordant for dyeing fabrics. Even before the war, these parts were exploited for their tannins that allowed the vegetable tanning of leather - a technique renowned and perfected by Moroccans and Cordovans to obtain beautiful shades from green to blue.
As for spices, for hundreds of years the red berries have been harvested when ripe (when green they are toxic), in the hot season. They were dried and then chopped, to be sprinkled on food or mixed with other spices. Sumac drupes have been used in cooking since Roman times, when they were dried and grated on foods or infused in water.
Their pleasant acidic taste, milder and more delicate than lemon, was also much appreciated in the vinaigrettes of the time.
The greatest diffusion of sumac in gastronomy, however, occurred with medieval Arab cuisine which made extensive use of it – its name, in fact, derives from the Arabic summaq. Over the years, this spice has reached the kitchens of many countries such as Iran, Greece, Turkey, African territories. Sumac was also used as a medicinal plant, and in Arab countries a sumac herbal tea was considered an effective remedy againstgastrointestinal disorders and useful as a stomach tonic and against irritation. The spice was also used as a diuretic and the physician Dioscorides (40-90 AD) mentioned it as such in the treatise “De Materia Medica”.