Persian Mama

Persian Food, Desserts, Baking and Pastry Recipes with step-by-step instructions and illustrations

MORABA YE BEH

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Moraba ye Beh
Mobraba ye Beh is Persian quince preserves. Quince is a fragrant fruit from the apple and pear family with a firm, pale yellow flesh. The beautiful reddish color that you see in the picture is the result of cooking the quince in sugar and water and then steeping it for 2-3 hours. Quince is “beh” in Farsi, and “hay va” in Azeri. The quince tree flowers in late spring with light pink blossoms, and the fuzzy knobby fruit starts ripening in early fall. Quince is not readily available in regular supermarkets and you will have to diligently look for it in specialty grocery stores late September through January and February. The ripe fruit will have a yellow green to yellow color, kind of similar to different shades of golden delicious apples but with a fine fuzz. The yellow fruits are sweeter and more fragrant.
Moraba ye Beh
Quince is not a well known fruit in the States, and those familiar with it use it in cooking only. When the quince tree is grown in dry and warmer climates with plenty of sunny days, it produces delicious and fragrant fruit that is actually sweet and tasty, uncooked. Once you smell the ripe quince you will always remember it, like I do from my childhood growing up in Iran. I also remember the unique way that we used to eat it; my siblings and I placed the unpeeled quince inside the door frame and closed the door on it. This cracked open the fruit and its sweet juice started running down the side of the door. This was fun, it made the quince tender and juicy, and it was a lot easier than cutting through the tough fruit! I still enjoy a slice or two of the uncooked quince whenever I use it for one of my recipes.
Moraba ye Beh
Moraba ye Beh is a delightful culinary wonder. The fruit is high in pectin and this makes it very suitable for preserves.  When the sliced or grated quince is steeped in a plain sugar and water syrup, this spongy fruit transforms into a smooth and translucent delicacy. Its pale yellow flesh takes different shades of pale to deep orange, depending on how long your steep it. The large core houses several brown seeds, or “beh dooneh” as we call it in Farsi. These seeds are dried in Iran and have many medicinal uses.  When the dried seeds are soaked in hot water they give off a thick gel that coats and soothes the throat, as a remedy for coughs due to a cold. When I cook and steep the slices of quince, I include the middle section of the core with seeds. This gives an almost marmalade like texture to my Moraba ye Beh. The core is discarded before storing the preserves.
Moraba ye Beh
When selecting quince, look for the fragrant yellow fruit with smooth skin and minimal fuzz. As tough as this knobby fruit seems, its thin skin gets bruised rather easily with superficial brown scratch marks that don’t affect the flesh. Avoid green quince since it will be too sour and will not ripen by time. The slightly greenish yellow quince ripens to a yellower color if you leave it in a sunny spot at room temperature for a few days. Soft brown spots or wrinkled skin mean the fruit is old and will not taste good.
Moraba ye Beh
Being able to preserve the nature’s beautiful seasonal fruits to be enjoyed in the months to come is something extraordinary. This is especially true for Moraba ye Beh which is only available a few weeks of the year. Depending on personal preference, some cooks might add orange or lemon peel, vanilla beans, star anise, fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, or cardamom pods when they are steeping the quince. I on the other hand love quince just the way it is and prefer to preserve its natural flavor and fragrance without adding any extra flavoring.
The following pictures are to illustrate certain key steps. Please read the entire printable recipe for the detailed instructions.

Quince is easily peeled with a regular vegetable peeler. The core is hard and makes up a large portion of this fruit. Use a large knife and cut through the peeled quince by placing it on a sturdy cutting board. Slice the cut pieces into about 1/4 inch thick slices. If you happen to cut through the core, you will notice that the flesh around the core is hard and fibrous and needs to be dug out with the point of a sharp paring knife.
Add the sliced quince, the cores containing the seeds (quince seeds add a gelatinous, marmalade like texture to the syrup and are discarded at the end of steeping time), 1/2 cup of the sugar and all of the water to a deep heavy bottomed 3-Qt saucepan. Swirl the saucepan a few times to get the sugar mixed in; do not stir. Cover and bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking for 7-9 minutes, or until the slices are very tender but still hold their shape. To test, remove one of the slices; if you’re able to cut through it with the side of a fork without any firm center it has the right texture. If the slices are not tender enough you will end up with firm preserves. On the other hand if the slices are cooked too long, they will not hold their shape and will fall apart. Gently stir the remaining sugar into the syrup and bring it to another boil over medium heat. Cover the lid with a Damkesh or a kitchen towel and cover the saucepan tightly. Reduce the temperature to the marking between low and medium low to maintain a simmer and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Check once after 2 1/2 hours; the longer the cooking time the darker the color of the jam will get.
When the slices reach the desired color, remove the saucepan from heat and discard the core. Transfer Moraba ye Beh to clean and dry containers. Cool completely in the fridge before covering them with tight lids. The syrup will thicken as it cools.
Moraba ye Beh
To preserve the vibrant color and marmalade like texture, store this jam in the refrigerator for up to a year. Enjoy Morab ye Beh with feta cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, or butter on toasted bread (Persian flat bread sangak is pictured here). This Persian favorite jam is believed to help with the digestion of food and it is usually served at dinner parties in Iran. I also serve it as a delightful topping over Shir Berenj or ice cream.

 

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MORABA YE BEH
 
Print
Yields: Two 6-ounce mason jars
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Steeping time 2½ to 3 hours.
Author:
Recipe type: Preserves/Moraba
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients
  • 3 medium quince (about 1 ½ pounds)
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, (divided)
  • 2 cups cold water
Instructions
  1. Peel the quince, place on a sturdy surface and use a large knife to cut through the fruit. Remove the large core and set it aside. The quince seeds add flavor and make the syrup gelatinous and marmalade like after refrigeration. See notes.
  2. The flesh around the core is fibrous and will remain tough after cooking; this area needs to be dug out with the tip of a paring knife.
  3. Cut the quince into into ¼ inch thick slices.
  4. Add the quince slices, the reserved cores, ½ cup of sugar and 2 cups cold water to a deep 3-Qt saucepan with a tight lid. Swirl the saucepan a few times to get the sugar mixed in.
  5. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking for 7-9 minutes, or until the pieces are fork tender. This time will vary depending on the ripeness and texture of your fruit. To test, you should be able to cut through a cooked slice with the side of a fork without any firm center. Undercooked slices will result in a firm jam and overcooking will make the slices to fall apart and lose their shape; the jam will still taste good.
  6. Gently stir the remaining 1 cup sugar into the syrup and bring it to another boil over medium heat.
  7. Reduce the heat to the mark between low and medium low, maintaining a simmer. Cover the lid with a damkesh or a kitchen towel and cover the saucepan tightly. Keep simmering for 2½ to 3 hours. Check the color once after 2½ hours, and if needed continue for another 30 minutes or so, until you get the desired color.
  8. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Discard the cores. Transfer the moraba to clean and dry jars.
  9. Allow the preserves to cool completely in the refrigerator before covering them with a tight lid. Once cool, the syrup will have a marmalade consistency.
  10. To preserve its vibrant color and marmalade consistency store Moraba ye Beh in the refrigerator for up to a year.
Notes
**I have grown up in a culture that uses quince seeds (beh dooneh) for many medicinal purposes, but if you feel uneasy about using them in this preserve, you may leave them out.
**The syrup in this moraba becomes thick and marmalade like; if you prefer a lighter syrup, you may increase the water to 2½ cups.

Comments

  1. What a beautiful post! The color of the quince preserve says it all. Quince, on its own indeed is aromatic and flavorful. Unfortunately, to this date, I have not had the pleasure of having a delicious raw quince. Probably, moraba ye beh is my most favorite of all preserves/jams.

    • Thank you Fae’s Twist & Tango for your comment. I guess if you expect a juicy fruit in quince, you’ll be disappointed; hence the door trick 😉 but the yellow fruit is sweeter with more fragrance.

  2. The color of the preserves in your photos is so gorgeous!! Also, I am relatively new to quince so I appreciate your tips on which quince to select!!

  4. Hi, I stumbled upon your blog and I’m really loving it. I was wondering if you know a good recipe for aash e kalam?

    • Welcome Sara, glad to have you here! I’m guessing you’re talking about green cabbage right? At the moment I have a recipe for Aash é kalam ghomri (kohlrabi): persianmama.com/kohlrabi-pottage-dash-kalam-boranisi/
      I also have a delicious recipe for Aash é kalam barg and I have plans to post it on the blog. Please give me some time.

  5. Dear Homa,

    I will be making this recipe tonight. I can’t wait! Do you think I would have any issues doubling all the ingredients in order to make more moraba?

    • Hello dear Kayla; no that should be fine. I would choose a large enough pot, so they are not too crowded. Enjoy!

  6. Hello Homa! Thank you for a beautiful recipe. Is it possible to use brown sugar for morabah? Thank you!

    • Hello and thank you dear Maryam. I have never used brown sugar for any jam, basically because the molasses in this product might add an extra residual flavor. However; I’m all for trying new things; so please let me know how it turns out, if you do try it. Have a great weekend and please keep in touch 🙂

  7. Quince Jam, preserves/ Moraba ye Beh yummy It brings back much memories back from my home, Iran. Thanks to my grandma, and my dear mother as well, everything they made had a touch of maternal love And now I came across this wonderful page, is lovely Thank you, I am going to make it and let it to transport my senses to those carefree happy times of my childhood.

    • Hello Bahereh; thanks for sharing that! I hope you will like this jam as much as I’m sure you have enjoyed the Morbba ye beh that your mom and grandma used to make 🙂

  8. Ramadan 2020–making this now.
    It looks just like yours and I can’t wait to taste it! Many happy memories of my mother in law making this for her grandkids. Now it’s my turn ?

    • Hi Ayla, I’m so glad to hear you say that! Happy memories of food make our heart and soul happy, not to mention our bellies 😉 Happy Ramadan dear friend. Please keep in touch and take care!

  9. Do you have a recepi for a quince khoresht? I think I remember using quince as the vegetable in some type of khoresht.
    Thanks

  10. Hi Homa!
    I enjoy your blog. I share almost all of your memories. I wonder you would publish morabyeh balang (Tabriz recipe). Please let me know.
    Thank you