Pomegranate Molasses Recipe
Pomegranate molasses is an essential ingredient in traditional Middle Eastern cooking, and it is made by reducing pomegranate juice. Here is how to make it at home using my simple recipe.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh pomegranate juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar optional, use if you like it sweeter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Take Out The Pomegranate Arils
- Wash the pomegranates and wipe them using a kitchen cloth.
- Now, cut the pomegranate in half using a sharp knife.
- Keep a large bowl on the kitchen counter and hold one-half of the pomegranate over the bowl with the cut side down.
- Now start to hit the pomegranate using something heavy. I used my rolling pin, but you can also use a meat tenderizer. Keep rotating the pomegranate as you go.
- The arils will start to fall in the bowl. Keep hitting until all the seeds are collected in the bowl. If a few seeds are still left, take them out using your fingers.
- Deseed all the pomegranates in the same manner.
Make The Pomegranate Juice
- Once you have taken out all the arils, check for any rind or membrane that is attached to them. This step is very important because if there is any rind or membrane attached to the arils while juicing, it will make the molasses bitter, and you will not want to use it.
- Now. transfer the arils to the large jar of a high-speed blender and pulse until the arils are just broken. Do not grind too much, otherwise the hard part of the seeds will also cause bitterness.
- Pass the juice through a mesh strainer and keep pressing it with the back of a ladle to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the leftover.
Make The Molasses
- Add pomegranate juice, granulated sugar, and lemon juice to a pan. You can skip adding sugar if the juice is very sweet.
- Cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens up.
- Using a slotted spatula, remove the foam that collects on top while cooking.
- It will take 45 minutes to 1 hour for the juice to thicken up to the right consistency.
- Keep stirring at regular intervals to avoid the molasses burning from the bottom of the pan.
- The last 10-15 of cooking are very crucial. The molasses cook very fast at the end and sometimes become very hard after cooling. So be very vigilant.
- To check if it is cooked to the perfect consistency, do a spoon test. Dip the spoon in the molasses and trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line remains visible, it is cooked perfectly. Keep in mind that the molasses will thicken further upon cooling.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the molasses cool down for 10 minutes. Transfer it to a clean glass jar and refrigerate it until use.
Video
Notes
It's best to use fresh pomegranate juice to make the molasses.
Traditionally, sugar and lemon juice are not added to the molasses. It's only the pomegranate juice that is reduced. But, sometimes, the pomegranates that we get are not very sweet and juicy. Hence, I like to add some sugar. You can totally skip it.
Be careful while peeling the pomegranate. If the white part (rind) mixes with the arils while juicing, the molasses will be bitter.
Don't overcook the molasses; otherwise, it will set like a toffee.
Nutrition
Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 266mg | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.1mg
