Sobia is the drink of the Hejaz in Ramadan. Every afternoon in the holy month, sellers in Jeddah and Mecca fill bags and bottles with it from big barrels, and families buy it by the liter to break the fast. The traditional drink is made from barley and brown bread soaked in water for a day or two with cinnamon and cardamom, which lets it ferment very lightly, then strained and sweetened. The classic is beige or off white, though some sellers tint it bright red, and every family that sells it swears by its own recipe.

Our version is a quick, unfermented home sobia, safe and simple: bread and oats soaked overnight with raisins, cardamom and cinnamon, blended and strained into a cold, creamy, softly spiced drink. It is non alcoholic, halal, and refreshingly unlike anything else you will drink this race weekend.

The sobia

Ingredients

• 3 slices whole wheat bread
• 1/2 cup (45 g) rolled oats
• 1/3 cup (50 g) raisins
• 6 cups (1.4 liters) cold water
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon rose water
• to serve ice cubes

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