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Qamar al-din
Apricot drink
Qamar al-din: thick, sunny apricot drink made from Damascene apricot leather for iftar
Damascus is famous for its apricots, and much of the summer harvest is pressed into thin orange sheets of apricot leather called qamar al-din. In Ramadan, almost every Syrian home soaks a sheet overnight and blends it into a thick, velvety drink to break the fast — it is sweet, slightly tart and full of energy after a long day. Serve it chilled, sometimes with a few soaked pine nuts on top. Common mistake: blending without soaking long enough; the leather needs time to soften or the drink is gritty. Chef's tip: add a splash of orange blossom water and a squeeze of lemon to wake up the apricot flavour.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 14 oz apricot leather (qamar al-din)torn into pieces
- 5 cups water
- 2 tbsp sugarto taste
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp pine nuts (optional)soaked in water
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz apricot leather (qamar al-din) in a large bowl, pour over half of 2 ½ cups water and leave for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the fridge, until completely soft.
240 minStep 2: Blend the soaked apricot with its liquid until perfectly smooth, then blend in the rest of 2 ½ cups water, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp orange blossom water and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
Step 3: Strain through a sieve if you want it silky. Chill for at least 1 hour; it thickens as it cools. Add a little water if it is too thick to pour.
60 minStep 4: Serve cold in glasses with 2 tbsp pine nuts floating on top. Keeps 3 days in the fridge; stir before pouring.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does qamar al-din take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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