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Lagmi (fresh palm sap)
لاقمي: milky-sweet sap from the date palm, poured cold in the oasis at dawn before it starts to ferment
In the oases of the Tunisian south, in Gabès, Tozeur, Nefta, Kebili and on Djerba, palm climbers cut a small wound at the crown of an ageing date palm and hang a clay pot under it overnight. By sunrise it holds lagmi: cloudy, ivory-white sap, cool and sweet, with notes of coconut water and fresh dates. It is sold in recycled bottles at the roadside and drunk the same morning, because the wild yeasts in it begin to ferment almost at once. By afternoon it is fizzy and sour, and by the next day it has become an alcoholic palm wine, also called lagmi, which is a different drink altogether. The common mistake is buying more than you can drink by lunchtime or leaving it in the sun: keep it on ice from the moment you get it. Fresh lagmi is ready to drink when it is sweet, smells clean and milky, and only a few tiny bubbles rise; once it tastes sour or prickles on the tongue, it has started to turn. It is raw and unpasteurised, so pregnant people, babies, older people and anyone unwell should skip it. Outside the oases, fresh coconut water is the closest stand-in. Chef's tip: chill the glasses too; lagmi is at its best ice-cold.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the lagmi
- 4 ¼ cups fresh date palm sap (lagmi)collected that morning; outside Tunisia use fresh coconut water
To serve
- 8 ice cubes (optional)
- 8 fresh mint leaves (optional)
- ½ tsp orange blossom water (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Set the bottle of 4 ¼ cups fresh date palm sap (lagmi) in a bowl of iced water as soon as you get it home, so it stays very cold.
1 minStep 2: Smell and taste a spoonful: it should be sweet, clean and milky. If it is sour, fizzy or smells yeasty, it has started to ferment and is no longer fresh lagmi.
1 minStep 3: Strain through a fine sieve lined with a clean cloth into a cold jug to catch any bits of palm fibre.
2 minStep 4: Pour into chilled glasses, over 8 ice cubes if you like, with a few 8 fresh mint leaves leaves or a drop of ½ tsp orange blossom water. Drink within a few hours, keeping any leftovers in the fridge and finishing them the same day.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lagmi (fresh palm sap) take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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