All About Sumac | Know Your Spice Sumach (Rhus coriaria)

All About Sumac | Sumac is also spelt as Sumak, Sumack, Sumach, or Summac (Rhus coriaria)

The dried fruits of some Sumach species are ground to produce a tangy, crimson spice popular in many countries. This spice is quite sour.

The fruit are ground into a reddish-purple powder which is used in savoury cooking in the same way as Sumak (sumac berries).

First brought to North America by European colonists, who in turn acquired the plant from the Middle East, where it originated, sumac has a long history of use as a spice.

Sumach is a native of the Middle East. Everything points out that it was the Arabs who took it to the Iberian Peninsula for industrial purposes, to be used in tanning leather.

Over 2,000 years ago, Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides referred to sumac’s health properties. Sumak was used in classical Rome, before the introduction of the lemon.

Dioscorides served in Roman Emperor Nero’s armies as a physician, pharmacologist, and botanist.

Native to the Middle East, sumach has been used throughout the region for centuries in a plethora of ways.

In ancient Greek and Roman times, sumak was used to dye wool and tan leather. It was also used in alternative medicine for its believed antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Sumach remains a key ingredient in many Turkish, Iranian, Syrian and Lebanese dishes.

Sumac as food & beverage flavouring

The fruits (drupes) of Rhus coriaria are ground into a reddish-purple powder used as a spice in Middle Eastern cuisine to add a tart, lemony taste to salads or meat.

In Afghan, Armenian, Bangladeshi, Indian, Iranian, Mizrahi, and Pakistani cuisines, sumac is added to rice or kebab.

In Azerbaijani, Central Asian, Jordanian, Lebanese and Turkish cuisines, it is added to salads, kebab and lahmajoun.

In North America, the smooth sumac (R. glabra) and the staghorn sumac (R. typhina) are sometimes used to make a beverage termed “sumac-ade”, “Indian lemonade”, or “rhus juice”.

Sumac as a tanning agent

The leaves of certain sumacs yield tannin (mostly pyrogallol-type), a substance used in vegetable tanning. Leather tanned with sumac is flexible, light in weight, and light in color.

One type of leather made with sumac tannins is morocco leather. It was believed:

Sumac in traditional medicinal

Sumac was used as a treatment for several different ailments in medieval medicine, primarily in Middle Eastern and South Asian countries

Sumac as fuel

Some beekeepers use dried sumac bobs as a source of fuel for their smokers.

Sumac for smoking pipes

Sumac stems also have a soft pith in the center that is easily removed to make them useful in traditional Native American pipemaking.

Natives commonly used the pipe stems in the northern United States.

sumac berries has a subtle, resin-like taste. It is tangy or sour yet sweet to taste. It should be used when only a hint of tartness is desired.

• You can sprinkle it atop basmati rice, grain salads, pita chips, or any type of flatbread.
• Sumac Hummus – Traditional chickpea hummus garnished with sumac for an acidic tang.
• Cucumber Sumac Salad – Chopped cucumbers, feta, and mint dressed in olive oil, red wine vinegar, sumac, salt, and pepper.
• Fattoush Salad – A traditional Lebanese dish of toasted pita, mixed greens tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs tossed in a sumac vinaigrette.
• Condiment – Sumac is often put on the table in shakers or bowls, especially in kebab houses, and is used like salt and pepper.
• Make Za’atar – Sumac is mixed with sesame seeds, salt and thyme to make the popular spice mix called za’atar.
• As a seasoning for fried and barbecued meat.
• Use as a dip for breads when combined with olive oil.
• As a marinade used to increase the acidity in yogurt sauces or vinaigrettes.
• For the enhancing taste and flavour of egg dishes and salads.
• Make a beverage known as sumac-ade, Indian lemonade or rhus juice.

If properly stored in a cool, dry place, sumac has a shelf life of about two years.

It won’t taste worse after that point, but the sumac will certainly lack the bold and powerful flavour that it once possessed.

For the best results, keep Sumac stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator drawer as usual. You can also store it as you would other spices in a dark, dry space away from heat & moisture.

You can buy Sumac in most grocery stores as well as online.

Health Benefits of Sumac (Rhus coriaria) or Benefits of Sumach

• Health Benefits of Sumach Nutritionally – Sumac contains a host of beneficial nutrients. These include fiber, healthy fats, and some essential vitamins.
• Health Benefits of Sumac as Antioxidant – Sumac contains a wide array of chemical compounds with potent antioxidant activity, including tannins, anthocyanins, and flavonoid
• Health Benefits of Sumach for Diabetes – Some research suggests sumac may be an effective tool for managing blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Health Benefits of Sumac for Alleviating Pain –Sumac contains a variety of nutrients and antioxidants that may play a role in lowering blood sugar and alleviating muscle pain.
• Health Benefits of Sumach for Heart Health – The concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid in heart, kidney and brain cell tissue was increased with supplementation of thyme.
• Health Benefits of Sumach for Digestion – Sumac herb is helpful in the treatment of common digestive disorders, including stomach upset, acid reflux, constipation, feverish symptoms, and irregular bowel movements.
• Health Benefits of Sumac for Cancer – Some studies have shown that the sumac plant has anti-cancer properties.
• Health Benefits of Sumach as an Antimicrobial – Sumac has been found to work against a number of pathogens, including Salmonella bacteria.
• Health Benefits of Sumach for Common Respiratory and Digestive Issues – The Sumach herb has been widely used to treat chest and respiratory issues including cough, chest congestion and bronchitis for a very long time.