Local Drinks

1. قهوة عربية

   ʾAhwe ʿarabiyye

   Arabic coffee (bitter, cardamom-scented)

   Usage

   Served in a tiny cup, unsweetened and scented with cardamom. Shake the cup lightly from side to side when you have had enough.

   Grammar Note

   Two words: coffee plus the adjective "Arabic".

2. قهوة تركية

   ʾAhwe turkiyye

   Turkish coffee (finely ground, boiled)

   Usage

   The everyday coffee in Syria and Lebanon. Tell the server how much sugar you want when you order. Do not drink the grounds at the bottom.

   Grammar Note

   Two words: coffee plus the adjective "Turkish".

3. عيران

   ʿAyrān

   Ayran (salted yogurt drink)

   Usage

   A salted yogurt drink thinned with water, drunk cold with meat dishes and fried food.

   Grammar Note

   A drink name (noun), for matching against menus.

4. جلاب

   Jallāb

   Jallab (molasses and rose-water drink)

   Usage

   A sweet drink of molasses and rose-water syrup over ice, with pine nuts and raisins floating in it. Popular on Ramadan nights too.

   Grammar Note

   A drink name (noun), for matching against menus.

5. عصير ليمون

   ʿAṣīr laymūn

   Lemon juice (lemonade)

   Usage

   Cold drink of squeezed lemon with sugar and water. A version with mint is also popular.

   Grammar Note

   Two nouns: juice plus lemon.

6. مي ورد

   Mayy ward

   Rose water

   Usage

   Distilled rose essence used to scent sweets and drinks, usually in small amounts. In writing it appears as ماء ورد.

   Grammar Note

   Two nouns in a possessive-style phrase: water of roses. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

7. مي زهر

   Mayy zahr

   Orange blossom water

   Usage

   Distilled water of bitter-orange blossom, added in small amounts to sweets and sometimes tea or coffee. In writing it is ماء زهر البرتقال.

   Grammar Note

   Two nouns: water of blossoms. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

8. تمر هندي

   Tamer hindi

   Tamarind (drink)

   Usage

   A sweet-and-sour cold tamarind drink, a Ramadan table staple. It literally means Indian date.

   Grammar Note

   Two words, "date" plus "Indian", naming tamarind. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

9. عرقسوس

   ʿErʾsūs

   Licorice drink

   Usage

   A dark, sweet cold drink brewed from licorice root, sold by street vendors.

   Grammar Note

   A drink name (noun), for matching against menus.

10. قمر الدين

    ʾAmar ed-dīn

    Qamar al-din (apricot juice)

    Usage

    A sweet drink made by dissolving dried apricot paste in water, a Ramadan favorite. The name literally means moon of the faith.

    Grammar Note

    Two words: moon plus faith.

11. سحلب

    Saḥlab

    Salep (hot sweet milk drink)

    Usage

    A hot, thick milk drink thickened with orchid-root starch, topped with cinnamon and nuts. Drunk in winter.

    Grammar Note

    A drink name (noun), for matching against menus.

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