Used on its own, sumac has the tartness of lemon juice, alternatively mix sumach with thyme and sesame seeds and make zatar which can work as a delicious marinade.
As featured in Ottolenghi - the Cookbook - written by the Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, this London based restaurant draws on numerous culinary traditions from Persia to California, focussing particularly on the Mediterranean. There are now 4 of these restaurants in Islington, Belgravia, Kensington and Notting Hill. The book was kind enough to mention us in regard to buying sumac and za’atar. In the book, they are recommended as great garnishes for a plate of hummus or labneh - a type of Arab cheese. They also recommend both sumac and za'atar for salads and roasted meats.