Sumac is commonly used a tart flavoring element in the eastern Mediterranen region.
Historians believe that it was the common sour element in cooking for that area prior to domestication of lemons.
It is a characteristic seasoning element in Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad.
It's not usually available in the mainstream spice section of most grocery stores.
The best place to locate it is in mid-eastern markets, delis, upscale stores such as Dean & Deluca or online through P enzey's or the Spice House .
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The fruit of some varieties is used in traditional Middle Eastern cuisine.
They dry it and use it like paprika (though it's flavor is more citrusy.)
Make sure you get the right kind .
Sumac runs the gamut between edible and poisonous.
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It's used in Mediterranean cooking, though I don't know why more people don't use it.
There were shakers of it on each table at a restaurant I used to go to before its nearby location closed - http://www.sorrentogrill.com/ .
Anyways, my favorite thing to get there was the Braised Chicken on Wednesdays.
I would heavily sprinkle sumac on it!
The sumac gave a great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavor .
It was the reason I got the dish - because I knew I could have the sumac with it!
They also served warm pita with a yogurt sauce.
I would add sumac to that yogurt sauce , along with some salt, for a great way to start the meal.
You should definitely get some and experiment with it.
It's certainly not a strange taste, just a very pleasing combination of flavors you don't get from other spices .
If you ask me, it also has a hint of mushrooms.
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Sumac is a major component in zatar, a Mideastern spice blend.
Goes very well with any meats, especially beef, goat, and lamb.
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salads of any kind if you make any deep fried food (such as falafel) dip them once into sumac, it adds an amazing flavor on top of dips in meat loaf / meat ball type dishes
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I asked the same question to one of my friend, we do not use sumac that much either.
He basically said whenever you eat onion use sumac.
I tried couple times it works.
You can add it to any salad.
I make onion salad with sumac, very easy.
Mix onion and sumac and squeeze it by hands.
It goes great with hot dog, burger etc.
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A friend of mine told me she uses sumac (I am not sure she was teasing me, or what).Is sumac used in cuisine? If it is used, what is it used for?
What is sumac used for?
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Sumac gives a  great earthy, slightly acidic, and very slightly salty flavour. It is used as a tart flavouring element in eastern Mediterranean cooking, including Fatoush , a Syrian bread salad. It goes well with meats and is used together with onion and zatar, a Mideastern spice blend. Sumac is a spice that is very commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking with all kinds of dishes.
Sumac is a spice used in Mediterranean and middle eastern cooking. It can be used with meats and anytime you use an onion. Sumac has a slightly acidic and salty flavour.