Sumac, Chard, and Lamb Stew

Of all the dishes in this book, perhaps none is as quintessentially Gazan— especially Gaza City—as sumagiyya, which literally translates to “the sumac-y one.” It is a classic dish, traditionally made in large batches for Eid el Fitr at the close of Ramadan and distributed to friends, family, and neighbors, who reciprocate with Ka’ik (Date Cookies), salted fish (fseekh), or a sumagiyya of their own making. One’s generosity is jud