Naqe'e Al Zabib ( ar, نقيع الزبيب – ''raisin infusion'') is a
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
i
raisin
A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the ...
beverage. Naqe'e Al Zabib is served fresh, and as the name implies (''zabīb'' means "raisins") it is made of grapes. It is similar to
nabidh
Nabīdh (Arabic language, Arabic: ) is a traditional fermented drink from the Arabian Peninsula typically made from Date (fruit), dates steeped in water, although it can also be made with dried grapes (raisins). Nabidh is non-intoxicating, but if ...
, an infusion that is made mildly alcoholic from the fermentation of sugars and was consumed widely in the pre-Islamic age. As alcohol (''
khamr
Khamr ( ar, خمر) is an Arabic word for wine; intoxication; the plural form, Khumūr ( ar, خمور), is defined as alcoholic beverages, wine; liquor. In fiqh, it refers to certain forbidden substances, and its technical definition depends on ...
'') is considered
haram
''Haram'' (; ar, حَرَام, , ) is an Arabic term meaning 'Forbidden'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowle ...
in
Islam, both ''nabidh'' and ''naqe'e al zabib'' are fermented for a certain time before it is converted to alcohol.
Raisins have high levels of vitamin C and other anti-oxidants, are important sources of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper, and help to prevent tooth decay. To prepare the infusion the raisins are thoroughly washed, covered in hot water, and then left to soak for three hours before being pressed through a sieve to extract the juice. Other recipes recommend boiling the raisins and/or soaking the raisins in the refrigerator overnight before squeezing out the juice. Sometimes the raisins are boiled a second time after the overnight soaking.
References
Yemeni cuisine
{{Arab-cuisine-stub