Murabba — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Whole fruits or large pieces gently candied in a fragrant sugar syrup infused with cardamom and rose water. These jewel-like Bahraini preserves are served as a sweet welcome to honored guests.

Ingredients

1 kg firm fruit (quince, green fig, or citrus peel)
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
Juice of 2 lemons
4 cardamom pods
2 tbsp rose water
1 clove (optional)

Instructions

1 Prepare the fruit: peel and quarter quince, prick figs with a fork, or cut citrus peel into strips. Soak in salted water for 2 hours.
2 Make syrup by dissolving sugar in water over medium heat. Add lemon juice, cardamom pods, and bring to a gentle boil.
3 Add drained fruit to the syrup. Simmer very gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the fruit is translucent and the syrup thickens.
4 Remove from heat and stir in rose water. Let the fruit cool completely in the syrup overnight for maximum absorption.
5 Next day, gently reheat to a simmer for 10 minutes, then cool again. This double-cook method ensures perfect texture.
6 Transfer to sterilized glass jars with the syrup. Store in a cool place. Serve a few pieces in a small dish with Arabic coffee.

Did You Know?

In Bahraini culture, the type of murabba served to a guest signals the level of esteem — quince murabba is reserved for the most honored visitors.