Sumac

• KINGDOM:  Plantae
• CLADE:  Tracheophytes
• CLADE:  Angiosperms
• CLADE:  Eudicots
• CLADE:  Rosids
• ORDER:  Sapindales
• FAMILY:  Anacardiaceae
• GENUS:  Rhus
• SPECIES:  Rhus coriaria 

• English:  sumac, sumach, Sicilian sumac, tanner’s sumac, tanner’s sumach, elm-leaved sumac, elm-leaved sumach
• Spanish:  zumaque
• Portuguese:  sumagre
• Italian:  sommacco
• German:  Sumach
• Dutch:  sumak
• Czech:  škumpa
• Hungarian:  szömörce
• Danish:  sumak
• Norwegian:  sumak
• Swedish:  sumak
• Finnish:  sumakki
• Polish:  sumak
• Greek:  soumáki
• Turkish:  sumak
• Hebrew:  sumak, sumaq, og ha-bursaka’im
• Arabic:  sumāq
• Persian:  somāq
• Russian:  sumakh
• Korean:  sumakeu
• Japanese:  sūmakku

Note:  Languages that use only the common English spelling and have no distinct or widely used local name are not listed.

Sumac, the spice, is the ground dried fruit of Rhus coriaria, a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern shrub also called elm-leaved sumac. In North America, the name sumac covers both edible cousins and one of the continent's most toxic plants.

• Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)
  • Poison sumac is a North American swamp shrub that took the sumac name but belongs to the same genus as poison ivy, and it's highly toxic. Every part except the pollen carries urushiol, the oil that causes blistering rashes. It's easy to tell from edible sumacs: its berries are white to cream and hang in loose, drooping clusters, its leaflets have smooth edges, and it grows in wet ground. Edible sumacs carry upright red clusters, have toothed leaflets, and grow on dry ground.
• Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) / Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
  • Staghorn and smooth sumac are edible North American cousins with the same upright clusters of red, sour fruit. Foragers steep them in cold water to make "sumac-ade," straining out the fine hairs, and use them much like the spice. The sumac in the spice trade, though, is Rhus coriaria.
• Dyed Sumac
  • Sumac's deep red color makes it a target for fraud, and European food safety alerts have flagged illegal Sudan dyes in sumac. Many commercial sumacs also contain salt, added during processing, which is legitimate but worth knowing so you don't over-salt a dish. Check the ingredient list, and buy from sellers you trust.

The USDA has not released nutrition facts for sumac. However, the massive food database from Nutritionix shows the following:

For a serving size of 1 tsp (2.7g) of sumac:

• Calories:  7.6
• Total Fat:  0.4g
• Sodium:  77mg  (Daily Value: 3%)
• Total Carbohydrates:  1.3g
• Dietary Fiber:  0.9g  (Daily Value: 3%)
• Sugar:  0.2g
• Protein:  0.4g
• Calcium:  8.9mg  (Daily Value: 1%)
• Iron:  0.5mg  (Daily Value: 3%)
• Potassium:  52.7mg  (Daily Value: 1%)

Flavor emerges from the combined effects of aroma, taste, and mouthfeel. Sumac is one of the few spices valued primarily for taste rather than aroma. Like tamarind, its acids and tannins do most of the work, with only a trace of volatile oil.

Aromatic Compounds

• Aldehydes
  • Nonanal and 2-decenal are some of sumac's most consistent volatiles, contributing a soft, fatty quality.
  • Fatty, waxy, and lightly citrusy.
• p-Anisaldehyde
  • A sweet, hawthorn-like compound that can become prominent in some sumacs.
  • Sweet, floral, and faintly anise-like.
• Other Aromatic Compounds
  • Sumac's oil also contains β-caryophyllene, cembrene, α-pinene, α-terpineol, and carvacrol.

Taste and Mouthfeel Compounds

• Malic Acid
  • The dominant acid in sumac by a wide margin. It gives the spice its tart, fruity character, the same acid that makes green apples sharp.
  • Tart, fruity, and apple-like.
• Citric Acid
  • Present in far smaller amounts than malic acid, adding a brighter, more lemon-like edge to the tartness.
  • Sharp, bright, and citrusy.
• Other Acids
  • Sumac also contains ascorbic, oxalic, tartaric, gallic, fumaric, and succinic acids in smaller amounts, which add complexity to its tartness.
• Tannins
  • Sumac fruit is unusually rich in hydrolyzable tannins, which contribute heavily to its mouth-puckering quality and separate it from a simple squeeze of lemon.
  • Astringent and drying.

Pigments

• Anthocyanins
  • The pigments behind sumac's deep red color, including chrysanthemin, myrtillin, and delphinidin derivatives.

Understanding Composition

• Chemical composition can vary widely, mainly in the concentrations of certain compounds. This variation causes differences in quality, which is why the best spices and herbs are often graded by the levels of key compounds that drive flavor, aroma, and color.
• Quality is affected by variety, age and freshness, region and terroir, environmental stressors, and potential adulteration. It's then further influenced by how the plant is handled at every stage: cultivation, harvesting, processing (drying, curing), shipping, storage, and preparation (grinding, grating, infusing, toasting). A magnificent spice or herb is a celebration of an immense journey, shaped by nature, the people who produce it, and the cook who delivers it to a dish.

• Traditional Medicine
  • In Persian traditional medicine, sumac is believed to protect the heart and blood vessels. In Iran, it's traditionally sprinkled over rich dishes and recommended to people with diabetes for managing their blood fats.
• Modern Medicine Research
  • Small trials in Iran have tested sumac powder for blood sugar and cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes, but the evidence is still limited.
• Dye
  • Sumac leaves, bark, and berries provide a variety of natural dyes, ranging from deep blacks and browns to rich reds and yellows. Traditional uses for these dyes include coloring leather and textiles, and with iron, sumac dyes silk black.
• Leather Tanning
  • The tannins in sumac have been used for centuries in traditional leather tanning. Sicilian sumac, the species that gives us the spice, was so prized for tanning that its Latin name, coriaria, comes from the word for leather. It produces soft, pale leathers that don't darken in light, including the classic Morocco leather used in fine bookbinding. Its use has declined, but some traditional tanners still work with it.
• Ornamental Plant
  • Certain types of sumac are grown as ornamental plants due to their eye-catching fall foliage and unique berry clusters. The most popular, staghorn sumac, is a North American species, not the one that gives us the spice. It spreads so aggressively by its roots that it has become invasive in some places.

• Lemon Zest + Vinegar
  • Combining lemon zest with a splash of vinegar, such as white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, can approximate sumac's tartness and citrusy notes. This combination works well in marinades, dressings, and sauces. Use about ½ tsp zest plus ½ tsp vinegar for every 1 tsp sumac. For dry uses, like sprinkling over salads or kebabs, use the zest alone with a pinch of salt.
• Za'atar
  • This Middle Eastern spice blend often includes sumac, along with other herbs and spices like sesame seeds and thyme. While it offers a more complex flavor profile, it can provide a similar tart and earthy dimension to dishes. Use an equal amount, cutting back on salt, since many blends include it.
• Amchur
  • This Indian spice, made from dried unripe mangoes, offers a tart, fruity flavor with a hint of sweetness. It can be used as a substitute for sumac in spice rubs, marinades, and chutneys. Start with about half as much.
• Anardana
  • This spice, made from dried pomegranate seeds, is quite tart and tangy like sumac. Both spices can be used interchangeably, although sumac has more of a lemony tartness, while anardana's is fruitier. Use an equal amount of ground anardana.
• Pomegranate Molasses
  • With its concentrated sweet-tart flavor and deep red color, pomegranate molasses can be used in moderation to add a similar tang, about ½ tsp for every 1 tsp sumac in dressings, marinades, and glazes. It's sweeter than sumac and adds liquid.
• Tamarind
  • Tamarind paste offers a strong, sour flavor that can replicate the tanginess of sumac. It’s more concentrated and has a slightly fruity undertone, so use it sparingly, starting with about ½ tsp paste for every 1 tsp sumac in wet dishes.

Substitution Tips

• Incomplete Substitution:  All spices and herbs are too complex to match exactly, so focus on which aspects of their flavor, aroma, texture, or color you wish to replicate.
• Quantity:  Start with a small amount of the substitute and adjust to taste. It won't be a 1:1 exchange in flavor or potency.
• Context:  Consider the entire dish and how the substitute's full flavor profile will merge with the other ingredients.
• Experimentation:  Playing with substitutions is a great opportunity to explore how different flavors interact. If you approach it with curiosity, you may really enjoy the process and make some delicious discoveries along the way.

Sumac, the tangy spice, originated in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Its name comes from the Aramaic summaq, meaning “dark red,” fitting for its rich burgundy hues. The spice comes from the berries of Rhus coriaria, whose species name refers to leather, because the plant's tannin-rich leaves and bark were long used to tan hides.

Greek physician Dioscorides documented sumac as an astringent remedy. The Romans, meanwhile, prized its sourness in the kitchen, using it much as we use lemon today, long before lemons were common in Europe.

Across the Middle East, sumac was a key souring agent before citrus became widespread, and medieval Arabic cookbooks feature sumaqiyya, a stew named for the spice. It remained a staple in Ottoman and Turkish kitchens, where sumac's tartness was the perfect complement to rich, savory dishes of meat, fish, grains, and vegetables.

Sumac was important to Native American culture as well, as some species grow wild in North America. Many Indigenous peoples made a tart drink from the berries of species like staghorn sumac, now often called "sumac-ade."

Today, sumac is enjoying a resurgence, especially due to growing interest in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. This spice has traveled long and far, and it has endured the test of time. Its famous tang will undoubtedly continue to stand out as we browse our spice racks.