Sommaq, Sumac, Sumak

[Saffy]

I have a little bag of Sommaq in my pantry, that I bought a while back when I had read several recipes that had it as an ingredient. But I have done my usual trick of forgetting where I read the recipes.

What kind of things can I use sommaq for.. do I need to mix it to a paste or should I just sprinkle and go for it?

Searching online gives me next to nothing on it

[polly]

It's great sprinkled on to kebabs or other middle eastern meat dishes.

I like it rubbed into chicken before being roasted too.

Try searching under sumak/sumac for more info.

[foodgeek]

It's great sprinkled on to kebabs or other middle eastern meat dishes.

I like it rubbed into chicken before being roasted too.

Try searching under sumak/sumac for more info.

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought it was sumac she was talking about. :)

I also like it on kabobs.

You could use it to make some ZA'ATAR, and eat it with pita and olive oil.

Here is a Gourmet Mag recipe for it:

http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=106776

[Jinmyo]

Ohhhhh....sumac.

Lamb or goat. Nice on grilled short ribs too.

And zataar for pita, definitely.

[jhlurie]

Ohhhhh....sumac.

Lamb or goat. Nice on grilled short ribs too.

And zataar for pita, definitely.

Whew. For a moment I thought you were talking about this instead of this. I'd hate to eat that first one.

[Suzanne F]

If "sommaq" = "sumac" then that's the Syrian kind of zaatar: the red stuff. Great sprinkled over yogurt for a dip, as well as what everyone has already suggested. Very tart and tangy.

There's also green Jordanian zaatar, which is wild marjoram mixed with sesame seeds (and maybe some other herbs). This is what I've seen more often baked onto pita.

Anyway, these are the distinctions that Sahadi and other middle-eastern food stores in Brooklyn make.

[Saffy]

Thanks! I know what type of culinary direction to head in now :)

[Jinmyo]

Ohhhhh....sumac.

Lamb or goat. Nice on grilled short ribs too.

And zataar for pita, definitely.

Whew. For a moment I thought you were talking about this instead of this. I'd hate to eat that first one.

Jon, that depends on who's ordering. Although you're number 1, you'd always get the second.

[torakris]

Are zaatar and sumac the same thing? Nigella Lawson's new book calls for zaatar quite a bit and I wasn't sure what it was.

[Jinmyo]

tokaris, no. Sumac is an ingredient. For one portion of sumac use two of savory, marjoram, and thyme, about four portions of sesame seed, about one and a half portions of salt, lots of lemon zest. This is only a basic "recipe" and off the top of my head. I might be forgetting something.

ediot:

"Marjoram" is not usually spelled "mrajoram".

[CathyL]

Zaatar is a dry mix of herbs/spices. There's an interesting discussion here that includes citations from Paula Wolfert and Claudia Roden. Apparently zaatar is also an herb with an oregano/thyme/marjoram flavor.

[Suzanne F]

Saffy, in the Lavender thread you mentioned Dukkah. Ground toasted hazelnuts, peppercorns, thyme, and salt. Has anyone tried adding some sumac?

[Saffy]

Suzanne, when I was browsing around for Dukkah recipes it was really amazing how many variations there were out there.

The only thing that seemed to be consistent was nuts of some kind dried thyme and black pepper, everything else seemed to be changed around for all kinds of things. I don't see why you could not add a little in and give it a shot! Not sure how authentic it would be, but it would probably be good:)

Some of the dukkah recipes had cayenne and chili in them. Here in the stores you can buy " spicy " dukkah and " sweet dukkah " which have different spice blends in them, as well as a multitude of others.. so I think it is one of those things that is probaly made according to taste by varying your ingredients whilst keeping the basics the same.

[Suzanne F]

Reviving this because I happened to see it and thought about the zatar thread

[Suvir Saran]

Sumac is the name of this beautiful bush that grows throughout the Middle East and also some parts of North Africa now. Well for that matter it is also propogated and found in Italy, Iran,Turkey and India. The berries are supposedly better if borne to bushes grown in the higher altitudes. The sourness supposedly comes out more intense in higher altitudes.

What I love most are to look at the red berries as the leaves turn color in autumn. Amazing sight for the eyes.. .and if you are like me and thinking of the culinary uses as well, you are in heaven.

The mounds of sumac berries drying in the open sun are most amazing of sights. There is little if any smell to these berries. But if you bite them they are sour. There is also a neutral aftertaste to them. No sharp quality.

I often will grill fish that has been rubbed with Sumac. It is a great way of cleansing the fish (for Sumac has famous astringent qualities) and then grilling the fish with a simple marinade. I do not use Curry Powder on fish, it is TOO bold for my taste. When I make Shammi Kebabs (Indian version of mince meat patties), I sprinkle sumac for adding a sour taste to the kebabs.

When I have been in cities or homes with no Amchoor (mango powder) or Tamarind, but Sumac, I have used it instead as the souring agent.

At Moustache on Bedford Street, they serve me onions with Sumac sprinkled on them. It is also a common garnish sprinkled on Yogurt served with Mezze.

It is an essential ingredient of Zahtar.

You can simply use Sumac to sour dishes as you would use lemon, tamarind, vinegar or amchoor.

[Suvir Saran]

Reviving this because I happened to see it and thought about the zatar thread

And this Sumac thread...

[FoodMan]

Zaatar is a dry mix of herbs/spices.  There's an interesting discussion here that includes citations from Paula Wolfert and Claudia Roden.  Apparently zaatar is also an herb with an oregano/thyme/marjoram flavor.

I can only speak for what Lebanese Za'tar is. the above comment is correct it refers to both:

1- an herb that usually grows wild and has a flavor very similar to thyme/oregano and

2- an herb mixture that uses the above mentioned herb as a main ingredient in addition to Sumac, toasted sesame seeds and salt. this mixed in with EVOO is the Za'tar mixture use on "Manakish" (a delicious pizza-like pie eaten for breakfast) , and the one I have two full jars of at home and is very tasty with Pita bread.

I realize other Middle Eastern countries have different varieties of the Za'tar like the Syrian one with more sumac and I believe they add crushed pistaschios to it.

FM

[stellabella]

my yoga teacher was harvesting sumac berries [we're in georgia] and letting them soak overnight in cold spring water, to make tea. i'm pretty sure we're talking about the same sumac. the result was a very refreshing tart beverage, with, according to her, medicinal properties--i'm guessing from the tartness/acidity it is high in Vit. C.

[Suvir Saran]

my yoga teacher was harvesting sumac berries [we're in georgia] and letting them soak overnight in cold spring water, to make tea.  i'm pretty sure we're talking about the same sumac.  the result was a very refreshing tart beverage, with, according to her, medicinal properties--i'm guessing from the tartness/acidity it is high in Vit. C.

Yes we are talking of the same berries.

You can find Sumac growing where you live? Lucky you!

[Rushina]

are these the little red berries?

[sparrowgrass]

Suvir, sumac is common wild plant in the eastern half of the country. My kids liked sumac-ade when they were younger.

[Adam Balic]

In several cookbooks I have seen Sumac being labeled as the same thing as Barberries. As far as I can tell they are seperate plants (both with sour red berries, although different flavour profiles). I wonder if anybody else has noticed this?

[ludja]

Silly question: How does sumac with edible berries compare to 'poison sumac'.

Sumac, (I think the 'poisonsous' kind) grows easily in CT. I'm not even sure which part is poisonous...

[Adam Balic]

Sumac is from the Rhus genus. Some of these plants are toxic and can cause contact irritation to the skin, plus breathing problems.

[bleudauvergne]

Sumac! I grew up in central new york and it grew all over the neighborhood. There were a couple of mothers (mine included) who pointed their fingers at the Dr. Seuss looking bushes with the bunches of red furry berries and said they were ripe. They decided to harvest it. All the kids in the neighborhood gathered it, and these mothers did what they knew best with it, made jelly. They also made drinks out of it. It was great!

My next brush with "sumac" was when I got this mix of stuff from what I think was a lebanese deli with an epicerie section. It came in a bag without much of a label. It was green, not red like the sumac I knew. It had a wonderful enigmatic taste and I assumed it was a mix of many things. The flavor could be best describes as a little lemony, but with this kind of basic quality (basic as opposed to acidic). Like oseille. The ingredient list said: sumac.

What was that? Was it green colored sumac?

I just loved to sprinkle it on smoked sheeps cheese toast. There was a shop that had this cheese and I happened across the mixture. Delicious.

-Lucy