What is Turkish sumac?

Sumac is a spice that is popular in the Middle East . It is related to the poisonous shrub by the same name, but the culinary variety is safe to use and easily identifiable by its vibrant red berries (poisonous sumac is white).

How do you make onions less strong for salad?

Submerge Them in Cold Water Submerging them in cold water takes away that intense, sharp bite from the raw onion. The cold water helps the enzyme that causes onions to have their pungent flavor to leach out. Similarly, storing onions in the refrigerator will help mellow them out when you go to use them.

What's the difference between Zaatar and sumac?

Sumac is a red-purple powder that adds a lovely lemony flavor and gorgeous color. Za'atar is a lemony hyssop or thyme, sumac, and sesame seed blend .

Is Zaatar the same as sumac?

Even though it varies greatly depending on where you are in the Middle East (specific recipes are sometimes closely-guarded secrets!), za'atar is generally a combination of dried oregano, thyme, and/or marjoram (woodsy and floral), with sumac (tangy and acidic) and toasted sesame seeds (nutty and rich).

Does soaking onions make them less strong?

All you need to do is give the sliced onions a good soak in a bowl of water before serving them. This one simple step tames the bite of the raw onions and mellows out their flavor.

Why do you soak onions in milk before frying?

There seems to be general agreement about preparation of fried onion rings, either for home consumption or in a restaurant: the onion rings should be soaked in cold milk and/or water before frying. It crisps them up .

Why do you soak onions in water?

Onions - soaking in cold water to soften the flavor When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended.

What is Turkish sumac made of?

It's made from the berry fruit of the Rhus Coriaria shrub , which were originally grown in parts of the Mediterranean basin, then spread to Europe. The berries are dried, then ground and sifted to get rid of the bitter inner seed. The coarse crimson-colored powder is then bottled as a spice to use in cooking.

What does sumac taste similar to?

Sumac has a fruity flavor almost like lemon . The sourness can balance the acidity of a dish.

What is sumac spice similar to?

Dried thyme and oregano make great ground sumac substitutes as they both have a similar earthy flavor profile. For a more intense flavor, you could also opt for marjoram or sesame seeds. For an even more intense flavor, you could add cumin powder or ground coriander to your mix.

Marinated Sumac Onions Recipe (2024)

Published: May 5, 2020 Updated: Jan 2, 2024 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 14 Comments

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Have you ever tried Sumac Onions? This "Red Onion Salad" features thinly sliced red onions, chopped Italian parsley, and a zesty sumac-based marinade that will delight onion-lovers everywhere! Serve Sumac Onions with Kebabs, Falafel, or mix into salads.

Why This Recipe Works

Sometimes referred to as Sumac Onion Salad or Turkish onion Salad this recipe allows you to quick pickle raw onions and to use them inShawarmawraps,Adobada Tacos, in salads, and as a side dish to other Mediterranean recipes.

The best part is that you probably have all the ingredients on hand, maybe with the exception ofsumac powder. Sumac has a tart, lemony flavour and also releases a beautiful red tint when added to a dressing or other liquids.

Sumac powderis a regular in many of my recipes. If you follow my blog, you might as well get some, you'll be needing it often!

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Sumac — The ingredient that makes this recipe shine is the tart Sumac Powder. Sumac gives the onions their amazing flavor.
Onion — There are recipes out there that call for white or yellow onion, but I recommend using red onion because of its natural sweetness. It just begs to be pickled!

How to Make Sumac Onions

STEP 1: Peel and slice the red onion into thin slices. Add onion slices to a bowl, along with the chopped parsley.

STEP 2: Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, sumac, salt, and sugar in a small bowl.

STEP 3: Pour the sumac dressing over the onions and parsley, then whisk thoroughly to blend the ingredients.

STEP 4: Allow the flavors to come together for an hour or so before using it as a condiment with kofta kabob, chicken, in sandwiches, or mixed in salads!

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

What does sumac taste like?

Sumac imparts a tart, lemony flavor that's sometimes compared to lemon or lime zest. Sumac powder is very popular in the Middle East and is used in all kinds of dishes.

However, this delicious spice is perhaps best known for accompanying grilled kabobs. It is also mixed into salad dressings, for example, Fattoush salad.

Some creative people even use it in desserts like this Blueberry Sumac Sherbert.

What can I use instead of sumac?

I understand that not everyone's spice drawer contains sumac, but I'd like to change that, one kitchen at a time! Although in some recipes, it can be substituted with another tart ingredient like lemon zest, or a pinch of citric acid, I don't recommend it in this recipe.

I mean, c'mon, Sumac is a part of the recipe's name, it wouldn't make sense to substitute another ingredient, would it?

Although I usually offer all sorts of alternatives to ingredients, I'm drawing a line in the sand this time. Get yourself some sumac!

Do you have to use red onions to make sumac onions?

Unlike my stance on the sumac powder, I'm more flexible when it comes to replacing the red onions with white onions. However, I wouldn't recommend using yellow onions, which tend to have a very strong, almost harsh taste.

Some Sumac Onions recipes call for soaking the sliced onion in hot water for 5-10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. This is to mellow out the onion flavor. This might not be a bad idea if using yellow onions since they taste stronger than red onions.

After soaking the sliced onion in hot water, lightly squeeze, to release some of their juices before proceeding with the recipe.

However, if you use red onions, you can skip soaking them first. Besides, I think the marinade does a nice job of bringing out the sweetness of the onions.

Sumac loses its flavor if it's stored for any length of time. It's a good idea to keep sumac frozen until needed to retain its freshness. Especially if you don't use it too often.
If you want to spice things up a bit, you can add some chili flakes in with the marinated onions.
Sumac onions are good for up to a week or longer.
Use leftover Sumac Onions in salads, mix into rice, stirfry, and more!

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