Qamar Il-Deen

Qamar il-deen (literally ‘moon of religion,’ apricot leather) is made by mashing apricots and then drying the pulp into thin sheets. We usually buy it folded and wrapped in yellow cellophane paper. This sour-sweet and chewy treat is eaten by itself as a snack or made into delicious drinks and ice cream. The best quality is found in Syria, where apricot trees grow in abundance. Evidently, qamar il-deen was known in medieval times. To my knowledge, the earliest citation may be found in the thirteenth-century Aleppan cookbook Al-Wusla ila ‘l-Habeeb by Ibn al-‘Adeem, where it is given as a substitute for dried apricots. Possibly this apricot leather was named after the excellent variety of apricot used in making it. It was called qamar il-deen and mishmish lawzi (almond apricot) because the kernel of its seed tastes like sweet almonds (Ibn Battuta).