I remember my mother arranging dates on a steel plate and passing them around our family every Ramadan, just as the call to prayer echoed through the house, signaling the end of our daily fasting. My childhood self would politely decline the dates and instead go for a cookie or the piece of chocolate I'd been keeping hidden in my pocket all day.
"It's Sunnah," my mother would reply, a sigh of disappointment in her voice. "Dates were the preferred method of breaking the fast for the Holy Prophet."
Dates, which are collected from the date palm tree, seemed to me to be wrinkled brown insects. The first time I tried dates was years later when my mother cooked an Indian dessert with dates, pistachios, and cashews, combined with condensed milk and topped with coconut shavings. It was then that I developed an appreciation for the fruit.
According to historical records, the date palm was first cultivated as far back as 4000 B.C. in Mesopotamia, in what is now southern Iraq. Due to the fact that dates were one of the few crops that could thrive in desert conditions, they were a vital source of food and money for Bedouins living across the Middle East and North Africa.
Following the Islamic calendar, which is based on the lunar cycle, we are now in Ramadan, which is a month during which Muslims throughout the globe fast from dawn to sunset. Muslim men and women commonly break their fast with dates at an evening meal known as iftar, which is a ritual that goes back to the Prophet Muhammad. Dates, which are high in vitamins and minerals, are known to help revitalize the body and satiate appetite, making them an excellent source of nutrition after 15 hours or more without food or drink.
While dates are delicious in their natural state, why not be a bit more creative with them?
Here are five suggestions how to eat dates
1. Stuff 'em:
You can buy filled dates in virtually every Middle Eastern or North African region, and they come in a variety of flavors. Almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, and cheese are just a few of the ingredients that may be used to stuff a turkey. Moroccans, on the other hand, are well-known for their sweet treat, which they provide during a variety of celebrations ranging from weddings to births. In Fez, Morocco, chef Rafih Benjelloun fills pitted dates with a "perfect combination" of crushed walnuts, almonds, and pistachios, along with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, then bakes them till golden brown. He then coats them with toasted sesame seeds and refrigerates them until they are ready to serve. As a consequence, you get a mouthful that is both sweet and savory, soft and crunchy, syrupy and salty all at the same time.
2. Drink ‘em:
The inherent sweetness of dates provides for a fantastic fruit juice, but an even better shake thanks to the natural sweetness of dates. Yvonne Maffei, the proprietor of the My Halal Kitchen blog, was traveling through a date valley between Arizona and California when she came upon a little store where they were serving the drink, which she photographed. The dates and whole milk in her own recipe combine to create a rich, creamy milkshake. Her two recommendations are to use a powerful mixer and to serve it immediately. This is an unusual and enjoyable method to include dates, adds the author, and it is particularly pleasant after a long day of fasting.
3. Bake with them:
Use them in cookies, cakes, bread, pies, and cupcakes, among other things. While Medjool dates are excellent for smoothies, it is preferable to use the less waxy and more moist varieties for baking. According to Megan Gordon, a cookbook author and proprietor of an artisan cereal business, the Deglet Noor kind of date is the one to use for baking purposes the most. According to the kitchen, "They're dry enough to cut and preserve their integrity in bread, cookie, or cake recipes while yet retaining that great, sweet date taste."
4. Cut them up:
One of the most straightforward ways to integrate dates into your diet is to chop or slice pitted dates and add them into salads, on sandwiches, or over pasta as a garnish. For those who like sandwiches, the Gorgonzola cheese, walnut, and date combination is an excellent choice. However, if you're looking for something a little more special, Chef Gordon Ramsey's steamed date pudding with butterscotch sauce is a good choice. It is a time-consuming process, but it is well worth the effort.
5. Puree ‘em:
One of the most delicious dinners I've ever eaten was a Moroccan lamb tagine drowned in date sauce, which was one of my all-time favorites. The delicate sweetness of the sauce embellishing the sensitive beef was the right finishing touch. I have not attempted to duplicate the meal for fear of tainting a nice memory, but date sauces themselves are relatively simple to prepare and can be served with any kind of meat, particularly chicken or fish, and are particularly delicious.
Date paste may be used as a replacement for white sugar if you prefer organic sweeteners over traditional sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup. Martha Stewart makes a simple date paste with just a few ingredients: dates, water, lemon zest and juice, and a teaspoon of salt. It may be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to a year. It's a delicious addition to a morning bowl of oats or a glass of milk at night.
