Boy is this stuff good! A taste of sunshine in a bottle.

Let’s start with what it is. Pomegranate molasses is widely used in Middle Eastern, African and Mediterranean cooking. It’s made by boiling down pomegranate juice until it’s a highly concentrated syrup. It has a tangy, sweet and sour flavour and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes.

It’s a great addition to your store cupboard and can be used in dressings, marinades and tagines/stews. It goes well with meat, fish, vegetables and cheese and combines well with both fragrant spices, such as cumin and coriander, as well as with chilli or, better still, harissa.

I particularly like it with salmon, duck and chicken as well as with roasted Mediterranean vegetables. If I make a salad bowl with feta, houmous and falafel, I often don’t even both making a dressing but simply drizzle a little all over.

In this recipe for courgette and halloumi burgers, I combine it with harissa to make a flavoured mayo.

Other recipes on my website using pomegranate molasses are the vegetable and halloumi kebabs, duck and dried lime tagine, Brussel sprouts with pomegranate molasses dressing, pickled cucumber and a slaw with pomegranate molasses dressing.

Available now in some supermarkets, at Middle Eastern shops, in independent shops and delis, via Sous Chef and on Amazon. My preferred brands are Al Rabih and Cortas.