If you haven’t yet introduced your taste buds to sumac (pronounced SOO-mak), then you’re denying them the slightly astringent, citrusy flavour that is renowned for adding zing to meats and salads.

The sumac bush, which is native to the Middle East and the Mediterranean, produces berries that vary in colour from deep red to dark purple, depending on where the shrub is grown. The berries are harvested just before they ripen, are sun dried, then ground into coarse powder. This versatile spice is a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking and used in everything from dry rubs and marinades, to dressings and toppings. Ground sumac is widely available in Middle Eastern markets, and thanks to our increasingly sophisticated palettes, it’s making its way into the spice aisle of supermarkets.

You can sprinkle sumac over fattoush salad, marinate your tofu in it, or use it to liven up your mezze platter. For the carnivores among us, you can sink your teeth into sumac-roasted chicken wings, sumac and mint grilled lamb, or sumac-coated salmon with grapefruit salad.