Lebanese Jallab
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates (pitted)
- 1,5 cup pomegranate molasses (or date molasses, or honey)
- 170 g sugar
- 1 l water (the amount can be increased to taste)
- 1/2 cup rose water
- 1 cinnamon stick (for steaming)
- nuts (such as pine nuts, to serve)
- crushed ice (to serve)
1,5 cups black raisins
Instructions
- Wash the raisins and dates thoroughly, then soak them for at least one full day or night (24 hours is best).
- After soaking, pour half or more of the water into a saucepan and set it aside, then put the soaked raisins and dates in an electric blender and beat them well. Then strain them well using a strainer to get rid of the skins.
- Pour the drained date and raisin mixture into the saucepan in which we put the soaking water. Then put it on the fire. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to about half.
- Add one and a half cups of date molasses, grape molasses, or a combination of the two and continue stirring. After a few minutes, add two cups of sugar and then half a cup of rose water, and continue stirring for about half an hour until we have a slightly thicker syrup with the consistency of syrup or slightly thicker.
- Remove the julep concentrate from the heat. Then put a cinnamon stick over a burning coal and steam it in the bowl or bottle (glass) in which we want to store the julep concentrate (male frankincense can be used for steaming as well).
- To serve, you can put crushed ice in a water shaker, then add a quantity of gulab concentrate. Add nuts and cold water. And serve. The amount of gulab concentrate can be adjusted according to the strength of your taste preferences.
- Your traditional Jallab is ready. شهية طيبة!
Note
Jallab can be made with molasses, raspberry molasses, or carob molasses. Raspberry molasses tastes great.
In addition to molasses, you can add a little maple syrup for a smoky flavor to the jallab.