By Tara Allen

Apr 10 2024

There are many recipes featuring dates and their byproducts across many cultures, especially those in the Middle East and North Africa. One such recipe is that for jallab – an Arabic drink that is made with date syrup. Growing up, my family would always have jallab during Ramadan as a refreshing accompaniment to our iftar. An easy way to make the drink at home is as follows:

1) Combine 2 Tbsp of date syrup with 1 tsp of rose water to make a fragrant syrup*. You can adjust these amounts based on your preference, but be careful with the rose water because it can be quite strong.

2) Pour the syrup in a glass and mix with about 2 cups of water.

3) Chill, sprinkle with pine nuts, and enjoy!

*you can also buy ready-made jallab syrup at most Middle Eastern grocery stores