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  Let’s go on Date

Let’s go on Date

Published : May 15, 2016, 5:52 am IST
Updated : May 15, 2016, 5:52 am IST

Markets in Asia and Arabia always amaze me. Bustling with colour, noise and aromas, they are a sensorial retreat — a pleasant change from sanitised supermarkets in the West.

date.jpg
 date.jpg

Markets in Asia and Arabia always amaze me. Bustling with colour, noise and aromas, they are a sensorial retreat — a pleasant change from sanitised supermarkets in the West.

Today my journey leads me to the dry fruit section of the spice market or Spice Souk in old Dubai (Deira). Here we are standing in a traditional bazaar in the heart of the old town that dates back more than 50 years.

Due to a centuries-old trading past, which made Dubai a hub on the prized spice route, almost every kind of spice and herb imaginable is available at this atmospheric souk, a must-visit for any tourist or local.

I’m hunting for an ingredient that forms the cornerstone of Emirati cuisine and is popular in the Indian food as well. Yes, it’s the humble date or khajur, as we call it in Hindi.

Believed to have originated in on the banks of Nile and Euphrates rivers of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia — the date palm is now grown extensively for its edible fruits under warmer climates, across the world.

SELECTION AND STORAGE “Knowing the difference between fresh and dried dates is important for storage and consumption purposes,” suggests Imanullah Khan, a local merchant who has been selling dry fruits at his stall in the Dubai spice souk for three generations.

When you think of dates, you may think of the dried fruits, but you can also eat fresh dates. A lower moisture content makes the dried date a far more concentrated source of nutrients than the fresh.

Fresh dates are available as soft, semi-soft or dry. It must be noted that the dry fresh date is not the same as the dried date. A dry date simply contains less moisture than a soft date.

Store fresh dates in an airtight container, and they can remain fresh for up to eight months if refrigerated, or for over an year in the freezer.

On the other hand, a dried date is deliberately dehydrated to remove its moisture. Dried dates have a longer shelf life than the fresh ones. Dried dates, if refrigerated in an airtight container stay fresh for over an year, and if kept in the freezer can last up to five years.

COOKING WITH DATES “Dates form the cornerstone of Arabic desserts” suggests Cleressa Pinto, e-commerce executive, The Palace Downtown hotel, Dubai. Here are two popular recipes using dates that are often served at Ewaan — a restaurant renowned for Emirati cuisine at The Palace Downtown, Dubai.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF DATES What is so special about this fruit “A veritable nutritional powerhouse, dates have been consumed for over 4,000 years by man both in fresh and dried form,” suggests food writer and chef, Karen Anand.

As one of the sweetest fruits, dates are rich in carbohydrates and provide your body with a healthy source of energy.

In Arabic countries, it is often customarily to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times. Perhaps it’s because dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose

When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalise the body instantly and hence the perfect choice after hours of fasting.

Another unusual heath benefit is the presence of flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. “Tannins are known to possess anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic properties,” says dietician Niti Desai.

Date fruits are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium.

RANGEENA Not much is known about the origin of this dessert, but it is enjoyed throughout the Middle East in its various forms — and under different names — from Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to the UAE.

Ingredients Fresh dates 500 gm Roasted walnuts 60 gm All purpose flour 3 cups Ground nutmeg 2 tsp Vegetable oil 3/4 cup A pinch of salt Ground cardamom 1/2 tsp Butter 50 gm

FOR GARNISH Cinnamon 1 tsp (as required)

Method Cut dates in half, remove the pit and fill with walnuts. Place them on a serving dish. Roast flour in a pan. Add nutmeg, cardamom and salt. Sieve the flour mixture and then put it back into the pan. Gradually add oil and stir well. Add and mix in the butter until well-blended. Pour the flour mixture on top of the dates. Garnish with cinnamon and serve immediately.

Tip This dish will stay tasty and fresh at room temp for up to a week. Do not refrigerate.

MAAMOUL (DATE COOKIES) The smell of freshly baked maamoul spreading throughout the place is an Eid ritual.

Ingredients For SEMOLINA dough Semolina 2 cups White flour cup Sugar cup Instant yeast 1 tsp Salt to taste Melted ghee, cooled but still liquid cup Orange blossom or rose water 4 tsp Water cup

Method Sift and stir together semolina, flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add ghee, flower water and water. Blend by hand until well mixed. Dough will appear greasy. Cover and let it rest for 1–3 hours. Dough can also be refrigerated overnight if desired, but you should let it soften a bit at room temperature and knead gently before forming cookies.

Ingredients For date filling Pitted dates, puréed, or date paste (aka baking dates) 368 gm Water 2 tbsp Orange blossom or rose water 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon tsp

Method Blend ingredients to make a paste.

For COOKIES Method Pinch off a piece of dough, not bigger than a golf ball. Roll it into a ball or an oblong shape with your hands. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough on a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap to a bit thicker than an inch. Spoon 1 tbsp filling into the center of dough as if making a dumpling. Fold up and seal edges with your fingers. Shape cookie with your hands into an oblong or a circle. Avoid tearing dough. Patch the ends by using your fingers to smooth the dough. Do not worry about making perfectly shaped cookies. You can gently reshape them once they are on the cookie sheet. Place cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Bake at 350°C for 20 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom, but still pale or only very lightly browned on top.