5 popular Ramadan drinks to try
There’s nothing quite like breaking your fast on a cold refreshing drink, and after the long hours of a fast in Ramadan, our bodies are in need of some quick hydration.
Every year, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset during their holy month of Ramadan. Following a lunar calendar, the Islamic month is the ninth month and is a time when Muslims distance themselves from worldly pleasures and reflect on those less fortunate than them.
The hot weather coupled with the long hours of the fast means that come iftar - the time at which the fast is broken - everyone is craving a refreshing drink to quench their thirst. Every culture has its own take on the classics that should be on the iftar spread, but we’re rounding up some of the Ramadan drinks you should try this month.
1 - Milk and dates
One traditional drink used by Muslims across the world to break their fast takes its inspiration from the teachings and practices of the Prophet Mohammed, who would break his fast with dates and milk.
While some simply eat plain dates and drink milk, many cultures choose to marinate the dates in milk a few hours before iftar. In Egypt, the milky concoction is topped with various nuts and dried fruits and is a nourishing way to break your fast, giving your body the slow glucose release it needs after a long day of fasting.
2 - Jalab
This floral and refreshing drink is made with date molasses, a touch of rose water and topped with pine nuts and crushed ice. Popular across the Middle East, particularly Lebanon, Jallab is a staple in most households during Ramadan.
3 - Tamr Hindi
Particularly popular in Egypt, this sour and sweet drink is made from the juice of the tamarind tree. The pod-like fruit of the tamarind is boiled to extract the flavours, sweetened and then cooled.
The tanginess of the tamarind juice makes it a perfect substitute for lemon juice while cooking, and is kept aside while prepping for the Tamr Hindi drink. The sour juice is used in dishes such as the Iraqi dolma, stuffed vegetables in a tangy tomato sauce.
4 - Qamar al-Din
Believed to have originated from Syria, this orange drink is made from dried apricots or apricot paste and is a popular iftar drink in Ramadan, believed to aid digestion and regulate metabolism.
Apricots and sugar are boiled and then strained and left to dry in direct sunlight to form fruit rolls. The drink is made from the dried apricot leather by adding rosewater or orange blossom water. It is traditionally served thick and cold and can be topped with apricot pieces and crushed ice.
5 - Vimto & Tang
These drinks may be more recent - but their marketing strategy has heavily focused on the holy month of Ramadan, with many adverts making the sound of the spoon stirring these drinks synonymous with the sensation of breaking the fasts.
Vimto, a medley of forest fruits typically sold as a concentrate, and Tang, a powdered orange drink that needs water added to it, are two distinctive flavours much-loved across the Middle East and their sales shoot up every Ramadan.
Are there any other drinks you love to have every Ramadan? Share with us in the comments below!
--
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
Twitter - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
Cover Image Credits: Unsplash
Inline Image Credits: Unsplash & Getty & Instagram
