~301 cal · 5g protein · 71g carbs · 0g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Glass of creamy cinnamon fermented drink
🇸🇦 Riyadh
Sobia is the drink of the Saudi Ramadan table, especially in the Hejaz, made by soaking bread or barley with sugar and cinnamon and letting it ferment lightly overnight. Creamy, cinnamon-scented, and gently tangy — sometimes tinted pink — it is poured cold to break the fast in Jeddah and Mecca.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 6 —
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2 cups toasted bread or barley flour
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8 cups water
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1 cup sugar
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1 tbsp ground cinnamon
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1 tsp cardamom
Instructions
1
Blend the toasted bread (or barley flour) with the water, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom until smooth.
2
Pour into a jar, cover loosely, and leave at room temperature 8–12 hours to ferment lightly.
3
Strain out any solids, tasting for a gentle tang.
4
Chill thoroughly and serve cold, stirring before pouring.
Hejazi Ramadan tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Riyadh. Where kabsa is heaped on a communal platter for guests.
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Saudi Arabia. Desert hospitality measured in platters of spiced rice.
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Asia. From street-cart woks to slow monastery kitchens.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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