A colleague wandered into The Times Test Kitchen when we were about to taste
five brands of pomegranate molasses. "No thanks," she said and turned
to leave.
"Hey, this could be the balsamic vinegar of the next decade," we
urged. "You don't want to be the last to try it."
So she hesitantly stuck a finger-ful in her mouth, and then the light of
understanding blossomed on her face. Pomegranate molasses is its own best
advertisement.
Middle Eastern pomegranate syrup -- called rob-e ana^r in Persian and dibs
rumma^n in Arabic -- is not the same as grenadine, that sweet syrup used in
certain cocktails. It's more concentrated in flavor, and it's usually made from
a tart variety of pomegranate not grown in this country. Typically it's as thick
and brown as molasses.
As an ingredient, it has much the same attractive sweet-sour quality as
balsamic vinegar combined with the lush fruit aroma of pomegranates. In Iran
it's used for soups and certain stews, including the famous chicken in
walnut-pomegranate sauce, known as fesenjan. In Armenia and Georgia they make
shish kebab sauces with it.
But it has the potential for a lot more uses: on salads, with fish...who
knows, maybe even with pasta. Will it enter the American mainstream? We hope so.
Meanwhile, pomegranate molasses is available only at Middle Eastern markets.
We found the following brands at two Reseda markets, Valley Produce and Produce
Plaza. The Golnaz and Sadaf brands seem to have been made from sweet American
pomegranates, Golnaz cutting the sweetness by adding citric acid. The other
brands contain nothing but concentrated pomegranate juice.
The Best
Indo European Pomegranate Molasses. Imported from Lebanon. Tart and
fruity; rather sharp by itself but an excellent cooking ingredient. 10 ounces.
$2.49.
Cortas Pomegranate Concentrated Juice. Imported from Lebanon. Also tart and
fruity, with a real bite, and slightly bitter. 11 1/2 ounces. $2.79.
Runners Up
Mid East Pomegranate Molasses. Thinner and lighter brown in color than the
others; good pomegranate aroma, nicely tart and slightly sweet. 12.7 ounces.
$2.49.
Golnaz Pomegranate Concentrate. Very fruity, a little more sweet than sour.
12 ounces. $3.49.
Sadaf Pomegranate Paste. Purple, rather than brown, and very sweet;
practically grenadine. Delicious, but not as suitable for cooking as other
brands. Use it in desserts. 12.7 ounces. $4.19.
Sources
Most Southland Middle Eastern markets carry pomegranate molasses.
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