Qatir, or attar (

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: قَطْر) is a type of sweet

syrup In cooking, syrup (less commonly sirup; from ; , beverage, wine and ) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a Solution (chemistry), solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but ...

used in the preparation of

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

ern

dessert Dessert is a course (food), course that concludes a meal; the course consists of sweet foods, such as cake, biscuit, ice cream, and possibly a beverage, such as dessert wine or liqueur. Some cultures sweeten foods that are more commonly umami, ...

s. It is made of primarily sugar and water, and is reduced slightly until somewhat golden and thicker. It is sometimes accented by steeping additional flavorings such as lemon juice, rose water or oil, or

attar Attar, also known as ittar, is an essential oil derived from botanical or other natural sources. Most commonly these oils are extracted via hydrodistillation or steam distillation. Attar can also be expressed by chemical means but generally n ...

(a rose-hinted plant of similar name). It is an essential addition to many Arabic or Levantine desserts, and is added cold or at room temperature to a hot dessert after it is baked.

Name

Qatir is also referred to as ''sheera'' (), or as ''sharbat'' (sometimes ''sherbet'') () in

Egyptian Arabic Egyptian Arabic, locally known as Colloquial Egyptian, or simply as Masri, is the most widely spoken vernacular Arabic variety in Egypt. It is part of the Afro-Asiatic language family, and originated in the Nile Delta in Lower Egypt. The esti ...

Ingredients and Preparation

Qatir is usually prepared by boiling sugar in water,

lemon juice The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...

is added to prevent sugar from crystalizing, lemon juice can accelerate breaking down sucrose into

fructose Fructose (), or fruit sugar, is a Ketose, ketonic monosaccharide, simple sugar found in many plants, where it is often bonded to glucose to form the disaccharide sucrose. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and gal ...

and

glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecular formula , which is often abbreviated as Glc. It is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. It is mainly made by plants and most algae d ...

. The syrup is ordinarily scented with

rose water Rose water, or rosewater, is a flavoured water created by steeping rose petals in water. It is typically made as a by-product during the distillation of rose petals to create rose oil for perfumes. Rose water is widely utilized to flavour cu ...

orange flower water Orange flower Orange flower water, or orange blossom water, is a clear aromatic by-product of the distillation of fresh bitter-orange blossoms for their essential oil. Uses This essential water has traditionally been used as an aromatizer i ...

, the exact ingredients and quantities may vary depending on the dish the qatir was made for. Some recipes may call for different sweeteners, such as

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...

as a "healthier" option.

Usage

Qatir is used in a wide array of desserts, including but not limited to

knafeh Knafeh () is a traditional Arab dessert made with '' kadayif'' (spun pastry dough) layered with cheese and soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar. Knafeh is a popular throughout the Arab world, especially in the Levant, and is often s ...

baklava Baklava (, or ; ) is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. There are several theories for the origin of th ...

qatayef Qatayef or qata'if ( ) is an Arab cuisine, Arabic dessert. It is a type of sweet dumpling filled with cream or nuts, or a filled folded pancake with a thickness similar to a Scottish crumpet. Etymology The Arabic word ''qaṭaːyif'' () is der ...

, mutabbaq, and harisseh, it can be used hot or cold, and the desserts it can be added to can be hot or cold. The syrup may also be added while still boiling to some desserts, or be used when cold as a dip for some others. Qatir can be stored in a

refrigerator A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermal insulation, thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to ...

for an extended period of time.

Gallery

Nablus souq kanafeh 131 - Aug 2011.jpg, Qatir is poured over

Knafeh Knafeh () is a traditional Arab dessert made with '' kadayif'' (spun pastry dough) layered with cheese and soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar. Knafeh is a popular throughout the Arab world, especially in the Levant, and is often s ...

. عوامة فلسطينية.jpg,

Lokma Lokma is a dessert made of leavened and deep fried dough balls, soaked in syrup or honey, sometimes coated with cinnamon or other ingredients. The dish was described as early as the 13th century by al-Baghdadi as ''luqmat al-qādi'' (), "judge ...

or awameh pieces are dipped in qatir. Halawet el Jibn with attar.jpg, Qatir with a honey-like consistency is drizzled over

Halawet el Jibn Halawet el-jibn ( / ''Ḥalāwat al-jibn'') (cheese sweet) is a Levantine dessert made of a semolina and cheese dough, filled with ''qishta''. Its origin somewhere from central Syria. It is found in other regions in the Levant and the Middle East ...

Citation

References