This recipe calls for some unique ingredients I've never seen before. I see that honey is a sub here for the pomegranate molasses, but will I be m...

Ever since I got hooked on the Ottolenghi books, I've grown to love pomegranate molasses. Alas, I'm in NYC, and can find just about anything. While they're both sweet, the similarities stop there imho.

Pomegranate molasses is becoming sufficiently mainstream that it is worth finding a source so you can make other recipes with it. You can find it in a store that sells Middle Eastern or Turkish foods. You can also find sumac there, which adds a sour, lemony note to food. Pomegranate molasses is sold in bottles, which when refrigerated keep an eternity.

If you are in a rural area where Middle Eastern shops are scarce, you can buy pomegranate juice and cook it down until it is syrupy. Be sure pomegranate juice is the main ingredient, and check on the kind of sugar used.

Hi Kira -- As Nancy commented, the pomegranate molasses does add a unique flavor here -- but it's a small enough quantity that honey is a fine substitute. I've made it both ways and it's good. And bottled roasted peppers are a great shortcut (that's what I use when making this). Hope you like it!

pomegranate molasses has a sweet-sour flavor profile, so if you sub honey for it you will be losing some flavors. Possible substitutes (but not exact replacements) for the sour flavor include dry white wine, lemon juice, vinegar, sumac powder, amchur (unripe mango powder)....all good. As for the roasted pepper - home made or bottled are both good.