Sumac, Authentic Jordanian Organic, Two Ounces

This is organic Jordanian sumac from Ajloun (Jordan) which has an incomparable fragrance and a tangy taste. Ground more roughly than Turkish sumac, it adds an interesting texture to dishes when used as a finishing touch, just before serving. The sumac bush produces deep red berries which are dried and ground into flakes. Originating in the Middle East, the spice adds a “lemony tartness” to dishes.

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides wrote about the health properties of sumac in his epic tome, De Materia Medica, and doctors used it for centuries as an astringent, antiseptic, and tonic.

It’s used in salads, like Fattoush, cucumbers, used on grilled meats and fish. It also enhances hummus when sprinkled on top. I use it in one of my favorite dishes: chicken musakhan, which is shredded chicken, sumac, grilled red onion wrapped in saj. Because it has an acidic or citrus quality, it’s even used in desserts.

Recipe for Musakhan (The onion and sumac really make the flavor. Also, the dark meat adds some flavor that's why I mix white and dark meat.)
2 lb shredded chicken (I boil both white and dark meat pieces then shred)
2 large onions, finely chopped
Generous 1/2 cup sumac
olive oil to sautee onions
salt and pepper to taste
shrak bread or pita bread split

Saute the onions until translucent. Add the sumac and stir, cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the shredded chicken, salt and pepper to taste. Let it cook for 10 minutes or so, stirring regularly. Add more salt, pepper, and more sumac to taste. I cut the shrak bread into quarters. Then I scoop about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto each triangle and roll (like stuffed grape leaves). Bake in the oven on low until warmed thoroughly. Serve.

The Bedouin Company follows in the footsteps of a past generation. Our maternal grandfather was a spice trader in Palestine. In the late 1940s, he was displaced from his home and joined the Bedouins in neighboring Jordan. Back then, most of Jordan was still a desert community - even Amman - so spice trading was conducted from the back of a camel. Our grandfather would go on to establish the first spice shop in downtown Amman. He also managed to fund a very new small producer which would go on to be the best spice producer in Jordan today. After our grandfather's passing, the shop closed, but the best memories and dreams live on.