The Science of Spice

152 Spice Profiles

The name “sumac” is derived from

the Aramaic word summaq, meaning

“red”. Long before lemons reached

Europe, the Romans imported sumac

from Syria to use as a souring agent

and also as a dye. The Roman

naturalist Pliny the Elder celebrated

its astringent and cooling properties.

Sumac has been used in Middle

Eastern cooking since at least the 13th

century ce in the za’atar spice blend,

alongside sesame seeds and dried

herbs. The spice is mainly used in

Lebanese, Syrian, Turkish, and Iranian

cuisine. Until the 1980s, sumac was

almost impossible to obtain outside of

the Middle East. However, a number

of food writers have championed

Middle Eastern cuisine in the last

couple of decades, and as a result this

spice is now experiencing a renaissance

among cooks in the West.

Region of cultivation

Sumac grows wild and is cultivated across

the Mediterranean and the Middle East,

particularly in Sicily, Turkey, and Iran, and

in some parts of Central Asia.

The plant

Sumac is a deciduous

shrub in the cashew

family. It grows in

uplands and on rocky

mountains in

temperate and

subtropical regions.

Powder

Sumac is not highly scented, so lack of

aroma need not be a sign of poor quality.

Salt may be mixed in to prevent clumping;

avoid buying sumac with this additive.

Whole dried berries may also be available.

Green leaves

turn red in

autumn

Rust-coloured

berries are

borne in

conical clusters

Coarse powder

is brick-red and

slightly moist

BOTANICAL NAME

Rhus coriaria

ALSO KNOWN AS

Elm-leaved sumac.

MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND

Malic acid.

PARTS USED

Dried berries (in fact drupes,

not true berries).

METHOD OF CULTIVATION

In late summer, just before the fruits fully

ripen, the branches are dried in the sun.

The berries are then rubbed off.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

Berries are cleaned and may be brined

for several days before grinding. Further

drying may be needed after grinding.

NON-CULINARY USES

Fabric dye; leather tanning; in traditional

Middle Eastern medicine to treat fever.

TURKEY

SICILY

IRAN

SUMAC

Sour | Fruity | Woody

Spice story

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