flipDate and Milk Sharbat
Date and Milk Sharbat
Why this dish? Al-Zamakhshari lived frugally on dates and milk — the two foods recommended by prophetic tradition. During his long stays in Mecca, Hejazi dates were his daily sustenance. This thick drink, halfway between milk and nectar, combines his two favorite foods into a restorative beverage, ideal for the scholar who stays up late over his manuscripts.
A creamy drink of dates melted in hot milk, perfumed with cardamom and rose water. Thick and naturally sweet, it is drunk warm or cool and constitutes a complete snack on its own.
The dates of Medina are the best in the world — he who doubts it has never tasted them. When I stay up in Mecca working on my commentary of the Holy Book, and the night advances and the eyes grow weary, I melt three ajwa dates in a bowl of hot milk. I crush a cardamom grain between my fingers. It sustains me better than a meal and does not weigh down my mind. The Prophet — peace be upon him — broke his fast with dates and milk; I know no better prescription for body and soul.
- •Soft dates (ajwa or tamr) — a handful (sweet base)
- •Fresh goat's or camel's milk — one bowl (liquid)
- •Cardamom — one crushed grain (aroma)
- •Rose water — a few drops (floral aroma)
Date and Milk Sharbat
A creamy drink of dates melted in hot milk, perfumed with cardamom and rose water. Thick and naturally sweet, it is drunk warm or cool and constitutes a complete snack on its own.
Why this dish? Al-Zamakhshari lived frugally on dates and milk — the two foods recommended by prophetic tradition. During his long stays in Mecca, Hejazi dates were his daily sustenance. This thick drink, halfway between milk and nectar, combines his two favorite foods into a restorative beverage, ideal for the scholar who stays up late over his manuscripts.
The dates of Medina are the best in the world — he who doubts it has never tasted them. When I stay up in Mecca working on my commentary of the Holy Book, and the night advances and the eyes grow weary, I melt three ajwa dates in a bowl of hot milk. I crush a cardamom grain between my fingers. It sustains me better than a meal and does not weigh down my mind. The Prophet — peace be upon him — broke his fast with dates and milk; I know no better prescription for body and soul.
Ingredients (period version)
- Soft dates (ajwa or tamr) — a handful (sweet base)
- Fresh goat's or camel's milk — one bowl (liquid)
- Cardamom — one crushed grain (aroma)
- Rose water — a few drops (floral aroma)
Ingredients
- Medjool dates, pitted — 6 (about 100 g) (sweet base)
- Whole milk — 400 ml (liquid)
- Ground cardamom — 1/4 tsp (aroma)
- Rose water — 1 tsp (floral aroma)
Method
- Pit the dates and cut them into coarse pieces.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat until it shimmers (do not boil).
- Add the dates to the warm milk, let steep and soften over very low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Blend everything in a blender until smooth and creamy. Strain if a finer texture is desired.
- Add cardamom and rose water, stir.
- Serve warm in small glasses, or let cool and serve chilled.
How it was made : The date-milk combination is one of the pillars of medieval Arab-Islamic diet, recommended by prophetic medicine (tibb al-nabawi). Sharbat — sweetened, perfumed drinks — are widely attested in Abbasid culinary treatises, made with fruits, honey, rose or violet water. Camel's milk, available in Hejazi oases, was renowned for its fortifying properties.
The contemporary twist : Serve cold as a thick smoothie with a reed straw, dusted with cardamom and a pistachio sliver.
Sources : Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Al-Tibb al-Nabawi (Prophetic Medicine), 14th century · Nasrallah, Nawal, Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens, 2007
Al-Zamakhshari · Charactorium
