Sumac powder

The New Year spice !

Sumac comes from the dried berries of the Rhus Coriara tree, commonly known as tanner's sumac. This is because the tanin it contains is used to dye leather. Sumac is one of the “Seven S’s”, symbolic items that start with an S, that Iranian families place on the Haft Sin table on the first day of Norouz, the Persian New Year, marking the beginning of Spring.

The "7S" correspond to one of the 7 creations and the 7 holy immortals protecting them.

The red berries are picked by hand in the summer, then dried for a month and ground down to a powder. The berries will enhance your dishes yet without altering the flavours, releasing a tangy tingling and slightly salty taste, a truly delightful spice!

Its acid and astringent taste can be used to replace lemon in many recipes. It is widely used for seasoning Iranian salads, chicken or beef skewers and is an essential ingredient of the very typical Middle Eastern mixture, zaatar. It can also be used in yoghurt sauces and marinades.