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Sommaq, Sumac, Sumak


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One of my favorite sumac applications is in plain white basmatic rice with butter, especially when I am having some feta cheese, pita breads and kabob.

I discovered sumac at one of my favorite turkish places and fell in love, the lovely lady who ran the shop thought I was a little off -- sprinkling it in my rice, haha.

--Jenn

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One of my favorite sumac applications is in plain white basmatic rice with butter, especially when I am having some feta cheese, pita breads and kabob.

I discovered sumac at one of my favorite turkish places and fell in love, the lovely lady who ran the shop thought I was a little off -- sprinkling it in my rice, haha.

Are you not supposed to sprinkle it on your rice? I had persian friend who used to blanket his rice with sumac like nor-easter dusting NY with snow in February. Then again maybe the turks do it differently?

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Su

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.

:raz:

-Lucy

I think it might have been a herb blend called za'atar, composed of thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. It's sprinkled over oiled pita breads and baked, and over foods as a condiment. And it does have a delightful lemony taste.

Theabroma

Sharon Peters aka "theabroma"

The lunatics have overtaken the asylum

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Poison Sumac is Toxicodendron vernix. It is the exception to the "leaves of three, let it be" rule--it has 7-10 leaflets. Unless you enjoy swamp slogging, don't worry about it too much--it grows in places most people don't go. It has white berries.

The sumacs with the edible berries are Rhus--Rhus copallina, Rhus aromatica, and several others. I have a big Rhus aromatic off the back porch--looks almost like poison ivy, but the leaves are not shiny, and the berries are red. And it smells good, but don't use that as a diagnostic tool--if you crush poison ivy leaves and hold them to your nose, you will be sorry.

If you remind me in the fall, I will mail sumac samples to anybody who wants them.

sparrowgrass
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  • 1 month later...

Question about dried sumac: When mixed with yogurt, will it cause the yogurt to become oh say, vivid pepto-bismol pink?

Did I use too much? Let it sit too long so that the color leached out? Or did my supplier sell me sumac with some kind of dye?

How can I avoid this? Do I need to simply add the sumac later so that there's no time for the red to bleed?

I was marinating some chicken in a yogurt/sumac marinade and my chicken turned this hideous pink. Tasted fine but......

Any insight, suggestions or laughter?

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I have used the berries in cooking and they haven't resulted in any strange colours. Either it is s difference in the type of sumac or prepartion or the addition of dye in your lot, but why would you add dye?

I don't know why they would add dye unless they were trying to disguise something that wasnt sumac or that they didnt think was red enough. I don't see that as being likely, its not like sumac is hard to come by etc. I'm thinking this might just be a case of unexpected yet legit results? I put a heaping tablespoon of dried crushed sumac berries into one cup of yogurt and marinated chicken for about 10 hours in it. I can see how color from the berries would leach out, but this was like a magenta/pink/weird. I KNEW I should have taken a picture.

Maybe it just looked weird because it was mixing with the white yogurt.

I think next time I'll just do a sumac rub and forgo the yogurt.

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  • 3 years later...

Yes...I use it in tahini and hoummus, I know it is good in falafal. But, other than that, how do you use this wonderful seasoning?

"As life's pleasures go, food is second only to sex.Except for salami and eggs...Now that's better than sex, but only if the salami is thickly sliced"--Alan King (1927-2004)

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I like to sprinkle it on pork chops, lamb and fish before grilling or broiling. I make oven fries with olive oil, garlic, S & P and sumac sprinkled on before roasting in a hot oven. It's also good on salads that have tomatoes, parsley and/or feta cheese in them.

Jan

Seattle, WA

"But there's tacos, Randy. You know how I feel about tacos. It's the only food shaped like a smile....A beef smile."

--Earl (Jason Lee), from "My Name is Earl", Episode: South of the Border Part Uno, Season 2

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Hi Naftal

Zaatar is 1 part Thyme, 1 part sesame and a 1/4 part Sumac and salt to taste.

Sumac is used instead of lemon juice in Fattoush.

I have always wnted to know the rilght way tomake zaattar, thanks!

"As life's pleasures go, food is second only to sex.Except for salami and eggs...Now that's better than sex, but only if the salami is thickly sliced"--Alan King (1927-2004)

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On slices of (white)  raw onion rings.

I use it a lot in salads and grilled meat skewers. (chicken and lamb)

I love the onion idea, what kinds of salads do you make?

"As life's pleasures go, food is second only to sex.Except for salami and eggs...Now that's better than sex, but only if the salami is thickly sliced"--Alan King (1927-2004)

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My grandma makes sumac lemonaid. It's a very good beverage.

Does this contain lemon juice? :huh:

"As life's pleasures go, food is second only to sex.Except for salami and eggs...Now that's better than sex, but only if the salami is thickly sliced"--Alan King (1927-2004)

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