Rizz b’Spanegh: Syrian Rice with Spinach and Sumac

This Syrian rice dish features spinach and one of my favorite underutilized spices: sumac. This tart, lemony spice, ground from the bright red berries of a tall Middle Eastern shrub, is perhaps best known as a common addition to the beloved spice blend za’atar. Which I kind of can’t believe I haven’t featured on the blog yet, because it’s the best.

Anyway. The spice’s name derives from Aramaic samaq (dark red), because that is what color the berries of the sumac plant turn in late summer when they have ripened and are ready for harvesting.

Sumac played an essential role as the Middle East’s primary souring agent before other tart ingredients like lemon and tamarind made their way to the region. Now sumac shares the stage with these others, but it’s still an essential component in the cuisines of the Levant, Iran, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, where it’s used in everything from eggplant spreads to kebabs to rice pilaf to red lentil soup.

This recipe is slightly adapted from a new (to me, anyway) cookbook, Hazana: Jewish Vegetarian Cooking, by Paola Gavin. I was excited to get my hands on this one, courtesy of the New York Public Library, being a fan of all things Jewish and vegetarian.

It’s a beautiful book, with nice paper and a good number of photos, for those of you who are into that. It’s also got a pleasingly different assortment of recipes, from Jewish cultures all around the world, including plenty of dishes that are new to me—and that’s quite a feat, given that I spend a lot of time reading about Jewish food.

At the beginning, there’s a nice overview of many of the Jewish communities featured, as well as of their food traditions. My one criticism is that I would’ve liked to see more background information about each individual recipe, whether its history or where Gavin encountered it. (Yes, I am totally that person who always wishes cookbooks had footnotes and bibliographies.)

Rice with Spinach and Sumac (Rizz b’Spanegh)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, preferably Aleppo

450 g / 1 lb. spinach, finely shredded

200 g / 1 cup Basmati or other long-grain rice

325 ml / 1 ¼ cups hot water

1–2 teaspoons sumac, to taste

½ teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook over a moderate heat until it starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute. Add the spinach and continue to cook for 10 minutes, or until it has cooked down and the liquid has evaporated. Add the rice and the hot water and bring to a boil. Season with the sumac, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 18–20 minutes or until the rice is tender but still firm. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Serve hot, with extra sumac sprinkled on top if you like.

Sources: Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (Gil Marks, 2010); Hazana: Jewish Vegetarian Cooking (Paola Gavin, 2017)

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