The market · Seasonings and ferments · The Middle East
Pomegranate molasses
Pomegranate juice boiled down to a thick, dark, sweet-sour syrup.
tart · fruity · sweet
What to do with it
Ibu Sari's Beef rendangPomegranate molasses would cut through its richnessAna Etxarri's Pil pilPomegranate molasses would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's SuyaPomegranate molasses would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's Rendang, the Lagos wayPomegranate molasses would cut through its richness
LevantineMuhammaraA thick dip of roasted red peppers, walnuts, breadcrumbs and pomegranate molasses — smoky, sweet, sour and hot at once.No one here has made it yetLevantineFattoushA salad of crisp leaves, tomato, cucumber, radish and herbs with shards of toasted or fried flatbread, in a sharp dressing of lemon and sumac.No one here has made it yetPersianFesenjanChicken or duck stewed slowly in ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses until dark, thick and glossy — sweet and sour at once.No one here has made it yetIf you can't find it
Middle Eastern grocers.
- 1Balsamic vinegarReduced with a little honey and lemonYou lose the tart, fruity sharpness.
Goes with
Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Middle Eastern grocers. Look for pomegranate alone on the label; some add sugar.
- Worth knowing
- In muhammara, fattoush dressing and Persian fesenjan.
Kitchens that keep it in
Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and JordanLevantineThe cooking of the eastern Mediterranean: olive oil, lemon, tahini and herbs, eaten as a spread of small dishes to share.11 classicsIran — the high plateau between the Caspian Sea and the Persian GulfPersianSaffron rice with a golden crust, slow stews made sour with dried lime and pomegranate, and a heap of fresh herbs on every table — sweet, sharp and fragrant at once.10 classicsTurkey — Anatolia and Thrace, between the Black Sea and the MediterraneanTurkishKebabs off the charcoal, yoghurt with nearly everything, vegetables slow-cooked in olive oil and pastry rolled thin as paper — the cooking of Anatolia and the Ottoman table.10 classics