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Food in focus |  |
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Dates
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All in all there are over 600 varieties of dates grown world-wide, all differing in colour, sweetness and texture. Dates ripen in four stages, which are known throughout the world by their Arabic names kimri (unripe), khalal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft) and tamar (ripe, sun-dried).
Dates are an important traditional crop in Iraq, Arabia, and North Africa and westward to Morocco. In Islamic countries, dates and milk are traditionally eaten to break the fast during Ramadan
They have high sugar content and, together with fermented camel milk, have sustained desert Arabs during times when there was little else to eat. In fact, the Arabs say the Bedouin can't get to sleep under the palms with the fruit hanging over their heads; such is their love of dates and all things sweet. The desert nomads remove the date's pit and replace it with a pat of butter or an almond or pistachio nut. Heaven.
The date palm bears fruit for 100 years. It's a dioeceous tree which means male and female plants occur separately and the cross pollination between their flowers is responsible for the production of fruits. One male can pollinate 100 females. It was a common practice for the pre-Islamic Arabs to cut down palm-trees, especially males of the enemy tribe. In the early years of Islam, dates served as food for Muslim warriors who used to carry them in special bags hung at their sides. They were regarded as the best stimulant for muscles and so the best food for a warrior about to engage in battle.
Medically dates are beneficial as nutrition and as a health tonic. Arabs believe dates act are good for pregnant and lactating mothers, for energy and low blood sugar; for asthma and bronchitis sufferers, is valued as a laxative, diuretic and aphrodisiac; for 'checking the loss of memory', for night-blindness, haemorrhoids, dermatitis, post-partum depression, gout and colitis &ndash the list goes on and on. Interestingly, it is said that the Virgin Mary ate dates after giving birth to prevent post delivery bleeding, and apparently feeding children seven dates a day cures them of anxiety and nervous disorders. Remember to consult a physician before embarking on a date self-cure, though.
Dates are sold in different stages of maturity, from fresh to semi-dried and dried. They also differ in colour, from yellow to reddish brown and maroon.
Date growers, including those outside the Middle East and North Africa, describe the stages of ripening and drying the fruit with Arabic terms. This occurs when the fruit has reached full size and taken on its characteristic colour:
These are then said to be at the khalal stage. After picking comes the rutab stage, when it softens, darkens, and begins to shrink. The final tamar stage is when the fruit is fully cured and ready for packing
Dates can be bought fresh, dried, whole, pitted, chopped, and as a paste or syrup. Most dates sold in supermarkets are dried and available year-round. However, the best selection of fresh dates can be found during winter. It's somewhat difficult to determine if packaged dates are dried or fresh. Fortunately, this does not matter too much unless the dates are very old so make sure to check the expiration date.
When buying dates, look for ones that are plump and have a nice sheen. Don't worry about wrinkled skin, but avoid hard or broken dates. Dates may sometimes have a whitish coating around the skin. This is actually crystallised sugar that leaked out from the date. It is harmless, and the dates can be steamed to remove the coating. Dates from Iran are said to be of the best in the world.
One of the benefits of dates is that they have such a long storage life. Dates store the best when they have not been chopped or pitted. They can be kept in the pantry for many months. They can also be kept in the fridge, but they can absorb food odours so wrap them well. Dates also freeze well for longer storage. If the dates become dry and hard, simply steam them for a brief period of time to make them soft again.
Because dates are so high in sugar they are great alone or used in a variety of dishes.
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10 things to do with dates |  |
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