Sumac

Sumac is a tangy, deep red spice made from the dried, ground berries of the sumac shrub. Its sour, lemony flavour is a staple of Lebanese and wider Middle Eastern cooking. It is commonly sprinkled over fattoush and other salads, mixed into za'atar blends, rubbed onto grilled meats and chicken, and used in dishes such as musakhan. It is also scattered over sliced onions, hummus and labneh. Some people steep it in hot water to make a tart infusion. At Dekenet Al Nes, a package-free grocery store in Baaqline, in the Chouf, sumac is sold by weight, so customers can bring their own containers and take only the amount they need, cutting down on single-use packaging.