Sumac is the star spice in musakhan. It comes from the dried and ground berries of the sumac shrub, which grows wild on Palestinian hillsides. The berries are deep ruby-red and taste tangy and lemony — a little like lemon juice in powdered form. Sumac is sprinkled so generously over musakhan that the whole dish turns a rich dark red.
The flatbread used is called taboon bread and is traditionally baked on the walls of a clay oven called a taboon. The bread comes out with charred spots and a chewy texture, perfect for soaking up all the juices from the onions and chicken. Eating musakhan the traditional way means tearing off a piece of bread, wrapping it around chicken and onion, and eating it with your hands.
Musakhan is the dish Palestinians make to celebrate the olive harvest in autumn. After a long day of picking olives, extended families gather around a large shared platter. The dish is always cooked with plenty of good local olive oil — sometimes a whole cup or more. The olive oil, fresh from the press at harvest time, gives musakhan its rich, fruity taste.