Pomegranate Juice

Ob’eh Anar (Persian Pomegranate Juice)

I’ve enjoyed ob’eh anar – freshly squeezed pomegranate juice – from street stalls all over Tehran, especially in summer when some are open all night to refresh shift workers and people on their way home from an evening out. Pomegranates are native to Iran and steeped in symbolism, they represent fertility, life and rebirth because of their many seeds. They’re traditionally eaten on the winter solstice, which is called yalda in Farsi, meaning rebirth as it’s the longest night of the year and the turning point where days become longer and light wins its ancient battle over darkness. See video below to learn more about Persian culture and cuisine. Pomegranates are most abundant in summer, and that’s when I like to use them to make this refreshing pomegranate juice with its balanced tart sweetness. Choose pomegranates that are heavy for their size with a smooth skin that has an even, deep-red colour, then follow the steps below to make fresh pomegranate juice at home.

Serves 1

Ingredients
  • 1 ripe pomegranate
  • Ice cubes, for serving

 

Use fresh pomegranate juice to make this deliciously simple pomegranate sorbet.

Method
  1. Cut the pomegranate in half.
  2. Hold a pomegranate half over a bowl and squeeze to loosen the seeds.
  3. Then tap the skin with the back of a spoon to dislodge them into your cupped hand (this minimises juice splatters).
  4. Extract any remaining seeds with a small spoon or fingers, avoiding the membrane as much as possible.
  5. Blitz in a blender then pass through a fine sieve.
  6. Drink ob’eh anar over ice.

Share page on:

Discussing Persian Food

Join Me Soon

What Our Cooks Say

Melisa (Beacon Hill, NSW)
Melisa (Beacon Hill, NSW)
Read More
We made the pot-sticker dumplings and bang bang chicken from the Chinese class the other night. Once again both exceeded our expectations. My husband keeps saying it’s better than going out to restaurants as the recipes and quality are amazing.
Glennis (Caringbah South, NSW)
Glennis (Caringbah South, NSW)
Read More
The whole Be Inspired experience has helped me love cooking again. I was sick of cooking the same old things - meal time is a lot brighter thanks to you Roberta.
Pam (Cammeray, NSW)
Pam (Cammeray, NSW)
Read More
Your recipes are something I always feel confident offering guests and also reasonable in the time to prepare. We often try your recommended wines and suppliers and enjoy your travel tales too!
Jen (Tamarama, NSW)
Jen (Tamarama, NSW)
Read More
Thank you for stocking our pantry with such authentic Ingredients and quality produce. We really like the flexibility of cooking over a couple of days and changing the order we cook the dishes in when we want to. And I love listening to the themed playlist while cooking.
Katrina (Arncliffe, NSW)
Katrina (Arncliffe, NSW)
Read More
I am absolutely loving Be Inspired! There are ingredients I have never worked with before so having the confidence to try something new is so much fun! The recipes are just amazing and the notes on what can be prep’d beforehand are a great help too. Thank you so much.
Deb (Belconnen, ACT)
Deb (Belconnen, ACT)
Read More
Awesome fun traveling through Emilia-Romagna experiencing first hand some of the produce I've worked with over the last couple of years cooking with Roberta's classes – the family are reaping the benefits now.
Judith (Woronora, NSW)
Judith (Woronora, NSW)
Read More
Food, wine and travel! Three of my favourite things! Be Inspired with Roberta has been a wonderful experience and given me more confidence in the kitchen. I have learnt so much, cooked things I never would have attempted without Roberta’s excellent videos, and used ingredients I have never tried before.
Sandra (Garran, ACT)
Sandra (Garran, ACT)
Read More
I'm a competent cook whose learned so much from Roberta's online cooking classes. The recipes are yummy and Roberta’s video guidance offers so many little tips to improve flavour and organise the flow of preparation. I enjoy her warmth, sense of humour, and ability to giggle at herself when she occasionally messes up.
Previous
Next
Subscribe To My Newsletter & Get A Free Online Italian Cooking Class (RRP $39)