Spices
Sumac
سماق
Lebanon
The dried and ground berry of the sumac shrub, deep red-purple and sharply sour, dusted over salads, onions and grilled meat.

Original eatfuls sticker artwork
What it is
A closer look at Sumac.
The dried and ground berry of the sumac shrub, deep red-purple and sharply sour, dusted over salads, onions and grilled meat.
What to look for
Know it when you find it.
Good sumac is moist and dark burgundy; brown and dusty means it is old and flat. Used wherever a European cook would use lemon.
Where it belongs
Origins and
traditions.
Food rarely respects a border. These are the places the dataset connects most strongly to Sumac.
Names around the table
One food, more than one name.
Keep exploring
If this caught your eye…

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Bolivia
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Venezuela
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Small wrinkled chilli that looks like a habanero and smells like one but carries almost no heat, the aromatic base of every sofrito.

Peru
Ají Limo
A fragrant Peruvian chili with citrusy heat, especially associated with ceviche and seafood.

Peru
Ají Mirasol
Sun-dried ají amarillo with a sweet-fruity flavor used in Peruvian sauces and stews.

Peru
Ají Panca
A dark, sweet-fruited Peruvian chili used dried and ground in marinades, adobos and stews.
