Jallab is not Emirati by birth. It is a Levantine drink, from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, where it is sold in glasses packed with crushed ice, and the classic syrup is built on grape molasses, dates and sometimes carob, perfumed with rose water. It is drunk across much of the Arab world now, from Jordan to Iraq, and the Emirates took to it with the enthusiasm of a country that knows a great deal about heat and a great deal about dates.

In the Emirates today jallab is one of the drinks of Ramadan, prized for bringing back fluid and energy after a long day of fasting, and it is a favorite through the hot summer months as well, dark as strong tea and scattered with pine nuts and raisins. Some versions are perfumed with the smoke of Arabic incense; we have left that out, and nobody has complained yet.

Bottled jallab syrup is easy to find, but making it from grape molasses, date syrup and raisins takes about half an hour and gives a cleaner, fruitier drink. It is the ideal glass to hand round on a warm race weekend, with a spoon, because the best part sits at the bottom.

The jallab syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) dark raisins or currants
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) hot water
• 1/2 cup (160 g) grape molasses
• 1/4 cup (80 g) date syrup
• 2 to 4 tablespoons (25 to 50 g) sugar
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rose water

Method

1. Put the dark raisins in the heatproof bowl and pour over the hot water. Leave for 1 hour, until they are plump and soft.
2. Tip the raisins and all their soaking water into the blender and blend on high for 1 minute.
3. Set the sieve over the saucepan and pour in the purée. Press and stir it with the back of the spoon or ladle until only a dry paste of skins is left in the sieve. Scrape the underside of the sieve into the pan, then discard the skins.
4. Add the grape molasses, date syrup, salt and 2 tablespoons of the sugar to the pan. Set over medium heat and stir until it comes to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then so it does not catch on the bottom. Taste carefully, letting a spoonful cool first, and add more sugar if you like it sweeter.
5. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the rose water. Taste and add a little more, half a teaspoon at a time, if you want a stronger scent. Pour into the clean jar, cool to room temperature, close and chill for at least 1 hour.

Pine nuts and golden raisins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (45 g) pine nuts
• 1/3 cup (50 g) golden raisins
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water

Method

1. Put the golden raisins in the small bowl, cover with the cold water and leave for at least 20 minutes, while the syrup cools. Drain just before serving.
2. Put the pine nuts in the small dry skillet over medium low heat. Shake the pan and stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes, then tip them onto a plate at once so they stop cooking. Let them cool.

Assembling the glasses

Ingredients

• about 4 cups (about 600 g) crushed ice
• about 4 1/2 cups (1.1 liters) very cold water
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) jallab syrup

Method

1. Fill each tall glass about two thirds full with crushed ice. Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the chilled syrup over the ice in each glass.
2. Pour about 3/4 cup (180 ml) of very cold water into each glass and stir well with a long spoon. Taste one: if it is too sweet add a splash more water, and if it tastes thin add another tablespoon of syrup.
3. Scatter a spoonful of the drained golden raisins and a spoonful of toasted pine nuts over the top of each glass. Serve at once with a long spoon.

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