Basra residents turn to traditional palm water for digestive relief

BASRA — In southern Basra governorate, residents are embracing an age-old seasonal remedy known as Maa’ al-Ligah, or palm flower water, to ease digestive issues, reduce gas, and regulate bowel movements. The distilled extract, derived from the aromatic sheath of the sayer palm’s pollen, is a springtime staple in many households.

Abdulrahman Ismail, a longtime producer of Maa’ al-Ligah in the village of Sihan in the Sibah subdistrict, has practiced the craft for 25 years. He described the process to 964media as both chemical and simple — a family tradition passed down through generations.

“We place the aromatic sayer palm leaf in a special pot with a set amount of water over a wood fire,” Ismail said. “We usually use palm charcoal because it burns for a long time. The pot is sealed with a thick iron lid, covered with a cloth sack, and topped with a heavy cement block to prevent explosion from the boiling water.”

The setup involves two connected pots: the first generates steam, while the second — known as the masakhna — is submerged in a water basin for cooling. “The hot steam travels through the pipe and condenses into water in the second pot,” he explained. “The process takes four hours.”

The condensed liquid is then mixed with 20 liters of clean water and distributed into 24 small bottles, each sold for 6,000 Iraqi dinars (about $4.05). Ismail sources the palm pollen sheaths either by purchasing them at 25,000 dinars per kilo (about $16.89) or collecting them himself from nearby orchards after pollination.

“This water is especially helpful after a heavy meal,” he said. “It’s good for children too.”

Ismail emphasized that the craft is a vital part of his family’s heritage. “I inherited this work from my father and grandfather,” he said. “It’s a seasonal profession tied to the pollination and harvesting of palm flower sheaths.”