Ya'sama -Lemon Sherbet

posted on: Jun 30, 2026

By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer

History records that during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid (8^th to 9^th), the caliph used to have runners bring ice from the mountains of Lebanon so that he could enjoy a similar dish during the hot summer Baghdad days. It was not unusual to find sherbet-type beverages with extracts of bananas and other fruits on the dining tables of the elite and nobility.

This is an up-dated modern version of the medieval sherbet prepared today in both Syria and Lebanon – its English name sherbet, derived from the Arabic sharbat (drink).

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup water

Rind of 1 lemon

2 1/2 cups water

Mint leaves (reserved for garnish)

             Place all ingredients in a blender except the mint; then liquify. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.

When ready to serve, process cubes in a blender or nutra ninja and serve garnished with fresh mint leaves.

Want more articles like this? Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Check out our blog here!