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Mu'essel, tumbāk and jurāk Back to Water pipes The smoked substance takes two or even three main forms. The first one is the mu'essel (tabamel in French). Literally, it means "honeyed", named so because of its ingredients like treacle (molasses) or honey used as agglutinant bonds. Treacle (molasses) is a sugar by-product. The second form is "tumbāk" which is pure tobacco. "Jurāk", mainly of Indian origin, can be considered as an intermediate substance among both first ones. It is very appreciated in the Arabian peninsula. Fruits and oils would be some of its ingredients. However, one sometimes names jurāk a treacled but not flavoured tobacco that certain users would rather smoke. Egyptian "Zeglūl" and Tunisian "Shīh 'el-beled" are brands of this product, particularly appreciated by its amateurs.
Mu'essel.
The mu'essel is particularly intended for shīsha. As we said, it is a
mixture of tobacco and treacle, or honey or, sometimes, sugar and
distilled water, in a proportion of one for two and half to which some
glycerin and different essences are added. The latter confer on tobacco
extremely varied tastes and flavours: apple (very common); strawberry
(Egyptian brands "'En-nahla" and "'Ibyāry"); mint ("'El-'Esfahāny" brand,
named after the Iranian city Ispahan); etc. There is an ever-increasing
choice: grape; watermelon; melon; rose (Egyptian brand
"'el-'Araby/'Abajūra"); liquorice ("'El-bāshā" brand: literally, "The
Pasha"). An amateur in France told us he used basil and Honoré de Balzac
mentioned patchouli in the nineteenth century
In certain countries, choice is limited. This is the
Tumbāk. It is a word of Turkish origin. The Persian one is close: "tumbeki". The word "tutun" is sometimes used. Tumbāk belongs to the variety named Nicotiana Alata Persica, of the sub-genus Petunioļdes of the Nicotiana Tabacum species. Tumbāk contains many alkaloids among which nicotine. The most used at present is called "'ajamy". It is produced in several countries of the Middle East. In broad outline, the smoker moistens it, presses it several times in the hand then cleans it and finally fills the pipe bowl with it.
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case of Jordan where,
till recently, the leading product, sometimes the only one on the market,
served in cafes and restaurants, has been "Bahreyny". By the way, let us
make it clear here, the latter is not inevitably manufactured in Bahreyn.
Mu'essel is sold in cardboard boxes or plastic jars. Packagings are
generally illustrated with ruddy floral motives representing fruits or
gardens with elegant sultans or pashas
The relative proportions of
tobacco, treacle, fruits and spices are from now on supplied to the
consumer, that is, on average, 30 %, 50 % and 20 % respectively. The
substance is generally valid for two years; boxes usually indicate the
production date. Classic health warnings about lung cancer risks and
cardiovascular diseases, now world-wide known by all cigarettes smokers,
appeared for a long time now.