What it means
سماق (somagh) is sumac, the coarsely ground dried berries of Rhus coriaria, used as a souring agent and garnish. Persian borrowed the word from Arabic سماق (summaq), which itself derives from Classical Syriac ܣܘܡܩܐ (summaqa), meaning “red.” The name reflects the spice’s deep crimson color. سماق functions as a souring spice in the way that آبلیمو (lime juice) or غوره (unripe grape juice) do, but with an earthy, slightly astringent quality unique to it.
How to use it
- سماق رو بریز رو کباب. (somagh ro beriz ru kabab.) “Sprinkle sumac on the kebab.”
- با سماق و پیاز کباب بخور. (ba somagh o piyaz kabab bokhor.) “Eat the kebab with sumac and onion.”
- این ماست موسیر سماق داره؟ (in mast-e musir somagh dare?) “Does this shallot yogurt have sumac in it?”
- سماق طعم ترشی داره. (somagh ta’m-e torshi dare.) “Sumac has a sour taste.”
Cultural note
سماق is one of the essential condiments on the Iranian table, placed alongside fresh herbs, radishes, and bread at every main meal. It is the classic accompaniment to kebab, sprinkled directly over the meat with raw onion slices. Sumac also appears in ادویه چلوکباب (the standard spice set served with rice and kebab at restaurants) and in some versions of آش. Its deep red-purple color doubles as a natural food dye in some regional recipes.