Pomegranate
The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a seed-filled fruit whose arils run from sweet to sharply sour, depending on citric acid. Sour fruit becomes juice, molasses and dried anardana.
Pomegranate molasses
dibs ar-rumman · Narsharab · Robb-e anar
A thick, sour condiment made by reducing pomegranate juice over heat until it is concentrated, used across the Middle East, the South Caucasus and the Balkans in dressings, stews and grilled dishes.
A reduced juice with many names
Pomegranate molasses is a thick, dark condiment made by concentrating pomegranate juice. Its sourness comes from the fruit and is concentrated by the reduction. The Persian name narsharab means pomegranate wine, although the product contains no alcohol.
The same product travels under other names, including dibs ar-rumman in Arabic and robb-e anar in Persian. Its names in Greek, Turkish, Armenian and Azerbaijani show how widely it is used across West Asia, the South Caucasus, Anatolia, the Balkans and the Levant.
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Ingredients and their jobs
The core ingredient is pomegranate juice, pressed from unpeeled fruit. Sugar is added in the common method, and some versions use none; the article does not separate sugared and unsweetened products for each region. Coriander, basil, cinnamon and a little black or red pepper are named as additions in the common method.
The reduction is the main process. Water evaporates as the juice is heated, and the juice is taken down to half its original volume before the seasonings go in.
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Method
Squeeze the juice from unpeeled pomegranates and heat it gently. Let the water evaporate until the volume is halved. When the liquid has thickened, add the chosen seasonings and let them dissolve in.
The sources read give no cooking time or temperature. A cook must watch the pan, because a concentrated fruit syrup can scorch as it thickens.
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Uses
Pomegranate molasses is used in fish and meat dishes and as a salad dressing. It gives a light sour flavour rather than a pure sweetness, and it is used to sharpen dishes rather than to make them sweet.
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Regions and variation
The article lists West Asia, the South Caucasus, Anatolia, the Balkans and the Levant as the regions of use. It does not describe production in each country separately. Unsweetened reductions and versions with added sugar are different formulations; this recipe treats the juice reduction as the base and the sugar as optional.
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Storage and open questions
The sources read give no storage time, water activity or pH for the finished molasses. Record the storage advice from a producer or a validated source before stating a shelf life.
Open question: the production times and sugar content differ between regional and commercial versions, and this page has one source only.
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History
The Wikipedia article gives the name narsharab from Persian, meaning pomegranate wine, though the product contains no alcohol. It describes the product's use across West Asia, the South Caucasus, Anatolia, the Balkans and the Levant, and gives its names in Persian, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Armenian and Azerbaijani. It does not discuss its history beyond the name, so no date of first production is established here.
Ingredients
Scaling: not stated
Pomegranate juiceSqueezed from unpeeled pomegranates.
Amount not stated
No quantity given; reduction is taken to half the original volume.Sugar (optional)
Amount not stated
Added once the juice has thickened in the common method; some versions omit it.Coriander (optional)
Amount not stated
Added in the common method; source gives no amount.Basil (optional)
Amount not stated
Added in the common method; source gives no amount.Cinnamon (optional)
Amount not stated
Added in the common method; source gives no amount.Black or red pepper (optional)
Amount not stated
Sometimes added; source gives no amount.Method
- Squeeze the juice from unpeeled pomegranates.
- Heat the juice gently and let the water evaporate until the liquid is reduced to half its original volume.
- When it has thickened, add the seasonings the cook chooses. Sugar, coriander, basil and cinnamon are named in the common method, and black or red pepper sometimes.
- Cool and store. The sources read give no shelf life or temperature for the finished molasses.
Places
West Asia, the South Caucasus, Anatolia, the Balkans and the Levant
Traditional use · Region evidenceWikipedia lists these regions for the condiment. It does not describe production in each area separately, so the row is a region list, not a place of origin.
Related
Made from
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Sources
WikipediaHistory · Method · Regional variation · Uses · Ingredients
Pomegranate molassesCondiment made from concentrated pomegranate juice; used across West Asia, the South Caucasus, Anatolia, the Balkans and the Levant
Names: narsharab (Persian, pomegranate wine), dibs ar-rumman, robb-e anar
Common method: squeeze unpeeled pomegranates, heat to reduce to half original volume, then add sugar, coriander, basil and cinnamon, sometimes black or red pepper
Used in fish and meat dishes and salad dressings, giving a light sour flavour
Cited in: A reduced juice with many names; Ingredients and their jobs; Method; Uses; Regions and variation; Storage and open questions