Dates. What can be cooked? Dried dates - famous fruits with a thousand-year history What can be cooked with dates

Dried and dried fruits are healthier than raw ones. If you dry the dates, stock them up for the winter, it will be a storehouse of vitamins B5, E, H, as well as substances like aspirin, which eliminate the symptoms of a cold, headache, and increase efficiency.

In the question of how dates are dried, you need to follow the recommendations of the chefs.

Harvesting and industrial drying

From each date palm, from 100 to 250 kg is obtained. harvest per year. Having collected the fruits, they are scattered on the ground, where they dry naturally under the rays of the scorching sun. To keep them longer, before putting them in a container, you should bury them in hot sand, leaving the dates to dry for several days.

After the drying process, the dates are washed. The bones are removed from each fruit by hand. Dates are sorted, processed and packed.

How to dry sweet products in an unnatural way is not familiar to everyone. To do this, use the oven. Dried fruits are treated with sulfur to repel insects. To make the dates sweeter, you will need to preserve them using glucose syrup. Dried fruits prepared by this method have an unnatural sheen. Natural dates that do not have additives have a matte skin, they are soft to the touch.

Naturally dried fruits have a sticky surface that is easy for germs and bacteria to stick to. Therefore, it is impossible for dried fruit to remain in an open container for a long time or to be scattered in the open air. Before eating dates, they are washed in boiled water. Dried fruits treated with chemicals must be soaked in hot water, changing it more than once, until the complete disappearance of oily stains on the surface of the liquid.

Dates are low in calories. This dietary product can be divided into 3 groups: dry date, semi-dry and juicy. Dry fruits are the most useful, they are antioxidants and anti-radicals. They are easier and faster to dry for storage. It is better to use dried fruit cut in half, get rid of the stone and see if there are any lesions by the date moth and the eggs laid by it.

Store dates in a container with a tightly closed lid on a refrigerator shelf. They can stay for a whole year. In the freezer, you can keep dried fruit for 5 years.

Selection of dates

You can enjoy fresh palm fruits in Israel, Algeria, Egypt, etc. In our country, they sell frozen, dried and dried products.

Fresh dates have a thick, glossy skin with a yellow, orange, or red tint. It tastes like a juicy and sweet fruit without cloying. The pulp of a fruit plucked from a palm tree is crispy, like a persimmon. The bone is difficult to extract. The unripe fruit has a gray color with a greenish tinge, a waxy coating and an astringent aftertaste.

Dried dates have a different color, uniform and rich brown. The fruits have a neat rounded shape. Cracks and wrinkles on the peel are not present. The fruit is dry but slightly sticky to the touch. A quality product does not form into lumps. The softness of the pulp is medium. Low juiciness. Dried date pits are easy to remove.

If the dates are dried without the use of chemicals, the skin of the dried fruit will be intact, dry and slightly translucent. A slight stickiness indicates the natural release of sugar.

Home drying

At home, you can dry fruits for a long time, putting them in a shady place, they will be soft. When dried in the sun for a long time, the dates will become harder. Producers have different ways to quickly process fruit. If the harvest takes place earlier than expected, it is enough to bathe the dates in a solution of inedible caustic soda, which is in a boiling state. From this, cracks will go along the thick peel, it will be possible to dry the dates sooner. But the juiciness of the fruit will decrease; through the cracks, the fruit can become infected with bacteria.

Not every production uses the natural drying method. For the mechanical method, the oven will go. After drying, fumigate with sulfur dioxide. With the destruction of bacteria, there will be no harmful insects and the product will be stored for a long time.

Differences of dates, which were dried naturally and with the help of an oven, are clearly visible on the skin. If it cracks all over the fruit or peels off, this indicates work with a drying chamber or a high temperature oven. A minimal and almost imperceptible number of cracks on the skin can appear if the fruits are dried under the hot rays of the sun. To preserve the presentation, dried fruits are treated with oil products, liquid smoke, and the fruits are also coated in glycerin, palm oil. You can distinguish a chemically processed product by the intense shine of the skin.

Dates. What can be cooked?

In this article I will talk about dates and recipes from them. I hope this article will be useful to you and you will cook something with these amazing dried fruits! What article would you like to see next?

Mankind met the fruits of the date palm seven thousand years ago. Dates are mentioned in all scriptures, since they were eaten in ancient times - it was believed that these dried fruits contain useful elements necessary for humans, and one can live on dates alone for several years without harm to health.

Delicious dishes with dates are found in oriental cuisine and not only in the preparation of desserts - there are many recipes for meat, fish and eggs with dates, and such delicacies are actually very tasty and original.

Dates contain 23 amino acids, 15 valuable trace elements and tryptophan, which eliminates insomnia, depression, activates the brain and improves mood. Dates tone the brain and help to assimilate a large number of information during high mental stress, but most importantly, due to the content of fructose and sucrose, they replace sweets and help to lose weight.

Here are a couple of recipes!

Cake "Arabian night"

This cake is very fond of children and will delight the spouse!

Ingredients:

  • Dates: 300-400 gr.
  • Sugar: 200-250 gr.
  • Margarine: 100g.
  • Soda: 1.5 teaspoons
  • Egg: 1 piece
  • Flour: 400-450 gr.
  • Boiled condensed milk: 1 jar
  • Butter: 250 gr.
  • Nuts: 100 gr. (can be hazelnuts or peanuts)
  • Chocolate: 100 gr.

Cooking:

  1. Peel the dates from the pits and chop them with a knife. Add soda to them and pour about 200 milliliters of boiling water.
  2. Well-steamed dates, if desired, can be crushed with a blender to make a homogeneous paste. However, you can leave them in pieces.
  3. Now you can do the test. Lightly beat the egg with a fork and combine with sugar and melted margarine. Add dates to it.
  4. Stir until smooth and add pre-sifted flour. Pour the slaked soda and mix everything thoroughly.
  5. The finished dough can be baked with one cake, which is then cut in half, or divided into 2 equal parts at once. Pour the dough into a baking dish and put in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Then let the cake cool down properly. If desired, the recipe for making the Arabian Night cake can be slightly changed by preparing 3 cakes instead of two.
  6. To prepare the cream, you need to beat the softened butter with condensed milk until smooth. Lubricate the cooled cake generously. Sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top (to taste).
  7. Cover with a second cake layer, brush a little with cream and lay out the nuts again. If there is a third cake, repeat the process. Then put the cream on the cake, generously smearing their top and sides. Decorate with melted chocolate.
  8. Send the finished cake to the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours to let it soak.

Chicken with dates

To be honest, I have never cooked this particular recipe, I found it on the Internet, but I think it will also turn out very tasty!

Ingredients:

  • Chicken: 1 Piece.
  • Soft dates: 200 gr.
  • Peeled almonds: 100 gr.
  • Butter: 50 gr.
  • Lemon: 1 piece
  • vegetable oil: 2 tbsp.
  • Salt, pepper, cinnamon - to taste
  • Liquid honey: 20 ml.

Cooking:

  1. Wash the chicken thoroughly and then rub with a mixture of the juice of one lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  2. Grind almonds with a blender or food processor into crumbs.
  3. We stuff our chicken with a mixture of almond crumbs and chopped soft dates, put a small piece of butter.
  4. We tie the chicken legs with a thread (so that the filling does not fall out), on top, if desired, we throw a couple of sprigs of thyme - and put the baking dish with chicken for 1.5 hours at 180 degrees.
  5. Take the chicken out of the oven 5 minutes before it's done.
  6. Coat the chicken with a mixture of honey and cinnamon, put in the oven for another 5-7 minutes.

Pilaf

Of course, the best pilaf is pilaf cooked by a man on fire, but it is not always possible to cook it in this way, so I want to advise the hostesses very much good recipe that my whole family loves to cook! Even though my family is not Muslim like me, that doesn't stop them from loving dates!

Ingredients:

  • Rice: 300 gr.
  • Sour cream: 50 gr.
  • Water: 300 ml.
  • Flour: 200 gr.
  • Saffron: 1-2 gr.
  • White raisins: 100 gr.
  • Prunes: 80 gr.
  • Dried apricots: 80 gr.
  • Dried plum “albukhara”: 100 gr (to taste)
  • Dates: 120 gr.
  • Powdered sugar: 100 gr. (to taste)
  • Cinnamon: 10 gr.
  • Ghee: 150 gr.
  • Salt and pepper (to taste).

Cooking:

  1. Rinse the rice and boil until half cooked, drain the water and set aside.
  2. Saffron pour 200 ml. warm water and let stand. For pilaf you will need 2 tbsp. l.
  3. Heat the cauldron, put rice in a pile, pour melted ghee and saffron tincture on top. Cover and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes. (Dad jokingly says that if you open the lid at this time, the pilaf will not be special.)
  4. Wash dried fruits and cover with warm water until they swell. Slightly fry in melted butter in a preheated pan for 5-7 minutes.
  5. Add dried fruits to the pilaf and mix. Add salt and pepper.
  6. If the rice, in your opinion, is ready, then turn off the heat and leave for 15-20 minutes (the duration of cooking depends on how long the rice is stored and on its type).

Date cocktail with cream

A great solution for Ramadan and during a cold!

Ingredients for two servings:

  • Pitted dates: 100 gr.
  • Natural yogurt: 100-150 gr.
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Milk 150 ml.
  • 2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Cooking:

  1. Remove stems and stems from dates.
  2. In a blender, mix all the ingredients and grind them until the mixture becomes homogeneous.

Of course, food and treats are good, but don't overdo it. After all, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

The son of Adam did not fill the vessel worse than the stomach. If he needs to fill it, then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink, and one third with air.

Narrated by Tirmidhi (1381), rated as sahih by Sheikh Abani in al Silsila al Sahih (2265).

Do not forget these words, and let food serve you in order to continue life for the sake of the Almighty! Wa "alaikum as-salaam wa rahmatu Allahu wa barakatuh!

16.07.2017 Suriya 20 1031 2

Suriya Abdurakhmanova

I'm more and more fascinated with dates - how wonderful they are in baking!

Compound:

  • 500 g pitted dates
  • 300 g flour
  • 100 g butter
  • 100 g sour cream
  • 100 g sugar
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon of soda
  • a pinch of salt

How to cook cookies with dates - recipe:

  1. We take the butter out of the refrigerator in advance and let it soften.
  2. Mix butter, sour cream and sugar and grind until smooth.

    Grind butter with sugar and sour cream

  3. We survive the juice from half a lemon.
  4. Add soda to juice and mix well. A violent reaction begins, we observe and enjoy the wonders of chemistry. Add a pinch of salt.
  5. Mix the flour with the resulting mixtures. Knead the dough for a short time until smooth. The dough will be a little sticky to your hands, but after the cold will become more pliable. But after baking, the cookies will be very tender.

    kneading the dough

  6. So, wrap the dough in cling film and send it to the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.

    We put in the refrigerator

  7. Meanwhile, prepare the date paste. Soak dates in water for 10 minutes.

    Soaking dates

  8. Separate the pulp of the dates from the pits and scroll through a meat grinder until a homogeneous puree. You can also grind in a blender, but through a meat grinder it turns out better and faster.

    Grind into puree

  9. When the dough has cooled a little and becomes more docile, we take it out of the refrigerator and divide it into two equal parts.

    Dividing the Dough

  10. Roll out each of the parts into a rectangle measuring 30 × 20 cm, about 5 mm thick.
  11. Put one piece on a baking sheet. Spread the date filling evenly on top.

    We spread the stuffing from dates on one part

  12. Then cover the filling with the second part of the dough.

    Cover with the second part

  13. Cut off the rest of the dough (if any) so that you get an even rectangle.
  14. We make even cuts along and across the rectangle, shaping the cookies. Since I wanted to completely repeat the store masterpiece, I cut it into rectangles.

    Making cuts

  15. We send the baking sheet to the oven preheated to 180 degrees for about 20 minutes.

    Put in the oven to bake

  16. We cool the finished cookies with dates and sort them into plates according to the cuts.

    Cookies with dates are ready

  17. Happy tea!

    Nastya Bordeyanu recipe author

Calorie content and composition of dried dates. What are the benefits to the body of the components contained in dried fruits. Who better not to eat them. Product in cooking: how to eat and cook.

The content of the article:

Dried dates are the dried fruit of the date palm. The most commonly used food is the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Trees reach several tens of meters in height. As a rule, they have a single trunk and long leaves with spines at the ends. The flowers are collected in panicles, small, yellow. In the first years, the tree yields up to 10 kg of yield, after 15 years - up to 150 kg. Dates are used in cooking, mainly in dried form, but fresh fruits can also be found. Palm trees delight tourists in many resorts, and for the purpose of export they are cultivated in Egypt, Israel and other countries in northern Africa and southwest Asia.

Composition and calorie content of dried dates


The product is quite high-calorie, and also contains a lot of carbohydrates. But, despite this, these dried fruits are considered to be a healthy treat, thanks to the vitamins, macro- and microelements present in their composition.

Calorie content of dried dates - 292 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:

  • Proteins - 2.5 g;
  • Fats - 0.5 g;
  • Carbohydrates - 69.2 g.
Vitamin composition per 100 g of product:
  • Vitamin B1 - 0.05 mg;
  • Vitamin B2 - 0.05 mg;
  • Vitamin B5 - 0.8 mg;
  • Vitamin B6 - 0.1 mg;
  • Vitamin B9 - 22 mcg;
  • Vitamin E - 0.3 mg;
  • Vitamin PP, NE - 1.9 mg.
Minerals per 100 g of product:
  • Potassium - 370 mg;
  • Calcium - 65 mg;
  • Magnesium - 69 mg;
  • Sodium - 62 mg
  • Phosphorus - 56 mg;
  • Iron - 1.5 mg.
The main useful components of the product are:
  1. B vitamins. The basis of the metabolic processes of the body and the normalization of work immune system. Without these important components operation is impossible human body. And since they are water-soluble and are quickly excreted from the body, a person needs to replenish them regularly. Vitamin B1 is called an energy vitamin, B2 is a beauty vitamin, B5 is a healing vitamin, B6 is a vitamin for nervous system, B9 - female vitamin.
  2. Vitamin E. It is considered a vitamin of fertility and youth. This fat-soluble substance, a powerful antioxidant, is an essential component of almost all important biochemical processes in the body.
  3. Vitamin PP, NE. This is the basis of redox processes. Participates in the formation of hormones, supports the heart and digestive organs.
But the main benefit of dried dates is in the micro and macro elements contained in the product:
  • Potassium. Helps support water balance, prevents the leaching of salts from the bones, is necessary for the heart and the musculoskeletal system.
  • Calcium. Responsible for the preservation of bones, teeth, participates in the production of insulin, starts metabolism.
  • Magnesium. It is considered the main anti-stress component, it also supports the cardiovascular system, the normal functioning of the endocrine apparatus.
  • Sodium. Main component water-salt metabolic processes, improves the work digestive system.
  • Phosphorus. In tandem with calcium, it forms the basis of teeth and bones, making them strong and preventing brittleness, helps restore vision, nourishes the optic nerve, and normalizes blood vessels.
  • Iron. This substance, without which the normal absorption of B vitamins, the production of hemoglobin and hormones is impossible.
The product also contains most of the essential amino acids. These are substances that are essential for the normal functioning of the body, but are not produced in it. Therefore, they need a constant supply from outside.

Useful properties of dried dates


There is a legend that the benefits of the fruit are so great that for several years you can only eat it and drink water. We do not recommend experimenting, but we will tell you about the scientifically proven benefits of dried fruits.

Eating them regularly can reduce the following health problems:

  1. Heart diseases. Prevention of diseases such as hypertension, tachycardia, heart attack, stroke, anemia is carried out. The heart rhythm normalizes, pressure decreases, the level of bad cholesterol decreases, the walls of blood vessels strengthen, the level of hemoglobin normalizes, and blood circulation improves.
  2. Excitability of the nervous system. Sleep becomes healthy and full, stress resistance increases, depressive symptoms, headaches and anxiety disappear. The work of the brain is activated, concentration of attention increases, memory improves, headaches and migraines disappear.
  3. puffiness. Due to the acceleration of metabolic processes, excess fluid is removed from the body.
  4. Stones in the kidneys, bladder and gallbladder. Helps them to remove a mild diuretic and choleretic effect. There is an outflow of bile from the ducts, the liver is cleansed.
  5. reduced immunity. Efficiency increases, well-being improves, the body becomes less susceptible to viruses and bacterial infections.
  6. Problems of the gastrointestinal tract. The activity of the digestive system is corrected: heartburn is relieved, intestinal peristalsis is enhanced, its microflora is restored.
  7. Bad skin, hair and nails. The condition of the nails improves - they become stronger and shiny. Strengthens and thickens hair. The skin is cleansed, fine mimic wrinkles are smoothed out.
  8. Acute PMS. The intensity of premenstrual syndrome decreases, the cycle of menstruation is regulated, it becomes less painful.
  9. Fear of childbirth, poor lactation. There is a normalization of the psycho-emotional state, relief of labor, an increase in milk production.
  10. low potency. is increasing male power, prostate adenoma is being prevented.


    Despite the positive properties of the product, there are people who can be harmed by African fruit. It is not recommended to lean on these dried fruits if you:
    • Are you suffering from obesity. High calorie and carbohydrate levels can adversely affect the process of weight loss.
    • Have problems with enzyme production. A rather heavy product that causes discomfort of the digestive tract in case of enzyme deficiency.
    • You suffer from gastritis. Excessive consumption can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.
    • prone to enteritis and colitis. Irritation of the large and small intestines is not excluded.
    Dried dates can also cause harm to diabetics. The presence of a disease such as diabetes- an absolute contraindication to their use. The thing is that the fruit of the date palm is the record holder for the glycemic index. They have an increased ability to increase blood sugar levels.

    How to choose dried dates


    When buying this delicacy, first of all evaluate its color. It should be uniform, not completely dark, as this indicates spoilage, but not quite light - such fruits are considered unripe.

    Wrinkles are a must. Their absence indicates underdoneness, which is why they can ferment. And an excessive amount indicates overdrying.

    There should be no stains, and dried dates should remain whole, with no protruding pits.

    But if you come across raw dates - take it without hesitation, in our area it is a rarity. And all because they, as a rule, do not dry, they are already plucked dry from the palm tree and transported in this form for sale. If you are lucky, when buying, pay attention to the integrity of the fetus, its uniform red-brown color, the absence of any damage, flaws, dots. Ripeness will be indicated by a slight separation from the junction with the twig and slipping of the stone.

    How to eat dried dates


    Date palm fruits are one of the most famous dried fruits in our region.

    The high calorie content of dried dates makes them a great snack, and the presence useful substances classifies it as healthy food. The main thing is not to overdo it. It is optimal to consume no more than 10 fruits per day.

    But when added to dishes, you can increase their number, since heat treatment partially changes the structure of the product. Nutritionists note that the presence of this food additive in foods and drinks eliminates the need to add sugar.

    Dried date recipes


    Dried fruits are such a versatile product that they are used in many dishes - first and second, hot and cold, appetizers and salads, meat and fish, desserts and drinks.

    We will help you understand the information and tell you about the most popular dishes that acquire a special piquancy thanks to the famous dried fruits. After all, when wondering what to cook from dried dates, housewives can get confused, the variety of recipes offered is so great.

    We definitely recommend trying the following gastronomic delicacies:

    1. Beef in sauce. Even the tough part of the beef becomes soft and tender thanks to this sauce. Diced 500 g of beef fry in olive oil until golden brown. Toast a few slices of rye bread in the oven. Heat 2 tablespoons in a cast iron vegetable oil, add to it 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 200 g of dried dates, rye crackers and meat. Pour a glass of boiling water, simmer under a closed lid over low heat for 40 minutes. Thanks to the gravy, this meat is especially tasty with mashed potatoes and cereals.
    2. sweet chicken. A great recipe for the original preparation of such a popular product as chicken. Dried fruits will give it a sweet note, emphasize its softness and juiciness. Wash thoroughly, then dry the carcass of a medium chicken. Cut into cubes 100 g of ham, finely chop 100 g of hazelnuts, add 1 raw egg, 100 g finely chopped dried dates, 2 tablespoons each of white wine and brandy, a pinch of salt and pepper. Rub the chicken inside and out with a mixture of salt and pepper and a clove of garlic. Stuff the bird, fasten the skin with toothpicks so that the filling does not fall out, put it in a saucepan or baking dish, put orange slices and whole dates around. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 ° C for an hour and a half, until the skin becomes golden and crispy.
    3. Savory appetizer. It will appeal to everyone who likes to experiment with products, discover new shades and combine seemingly incompatible products. Take 150 g dried dates. Rinse them, dry them with paper towels, carefully remove the bones. In the middle of each date, put a piece of any blue cheese, close the fruit, wrap it with a thin strip of bacon. It is better to secure it with a toothpick. Put the appetizer in any baking dish or on a baking sheet, previously covered with parchment. Drizzle each roll with balsamic vinegar. Preheat the oven to 180°C, bake for 20 minutes - check if the bacon is done, it should be crispy. Serve both hot and cold. The taste of this appetizer is fantastic.
    4. Fish with dates. As a rule, mackerel is taken for this recipe, but, by and large, you can choose any medium-sized fish. Take fresh or thawed fish, free from the insides. It is not necessary to cut off the head, so it will look better when served. Cut the onion into half rings, cover the fish with it, let stand for 15-20 minutes. Remove the onion, wipe all sides (including the inside) with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stuff with whole dried pitted dates. Secure with toothpicks. Lubricate the carcass on top with olive oil, wrap in foil and bake in an oven preheated to 200 ° C for 40 minutes. Then slightly open the fish, once again brush with oil on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Serve chilled.
    5. Cupcake on beer. The peculiarity of this cupcake is in a very piquant, spicy taste. It literally melts in your mouth, leaving an incredible caramel aftertaste. To prepare it, take 100 g of black and white raisins, 150 g of dried dates, 100 g of candied fruits. Rinse thoroughly and then dry the dried fruits, cut the dates to the size of raisins and candied fruits. Pour 300 ml of dark beer into a saucepan with a thick bottom, send dried fruits, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of dry ginger, cardamom and nutmeg, zest of one orange to it. Bring to a boil and make a small fire. Add 120 ml of vegetable oil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool thoroughly. Beat 3 eggs until foamy, send them to the cooled dried fruit mixture, gradually introduce 320 g of pre-sifted wheat flour. Line the form with paper, pour the dough into it. Preheat the oven to 180°C, bake until tender (about an hour). Lubricate the finished hot cake with honey, let cool, wrap in parchment. Leave it like this for a day. Then cut into pieces and serve.
    6. Useful candy . Such homemade sweetness will be a great alternative to store-bought sweets, the content of which is always unknown. Sweets will please both adults and kids, and parents will not only be sure of their safety, but also enjoy the health benefits. Rinse well in running water 100 g of pitted prunes, raisins, dried apricots and dried dates. Let drain, pat dry with paper towels. Take 100 g of any nuts - cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts or almonds. Lightly dry in a skillet. Grind all ingredients in a blender or meat grinder. Add 3 tablespoons of honey. Form into balls, roll in cocoa. Serve with tea.
    There are also many recipes with dried dates, thanks to which every housewife can easily prepare tasty and healthy drinks. Here are the most popular ones:
    • almond drink. Has a strong tonic effect. Take 50 g of almonds and soak overnight in water. Drain the water, grind the nuts with a blender, add them to 200 ml of mineral water, pass through the blender again. Strain the mixture, add 50 g of dried dates, a pinch of cinnamon and a couple of mint leaves to it. Beat again with a blender. Cool, add honey if necessary.
    • milk smoothie. An invigorating and delicious drink will energize good mood all day. Grind half a large avocado in a blender, 100 g dried dates, 1 tablespoon cocoa, 30 g oatmeal, a couple of ice cubes. When the mass is homogeneous, add 250 ml of cold milk to it, mix again. Serve with a mint leaf.
    • Dried fruits compote. This is a great drink not only for adults, but also for children. Cut into large pieces 4 ripe apples (variety - to taste). Pour a dozen dates with warm water, leave for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse and put to the apples. Pour the base with 2 liters of water, bring to a boil, make a small fire and cook for 20-25 minutes. 5 minutes before the end, add a pinch of cinnamon. The compote should cool in a saucepan, under a closed lid. Refrigerate and enjoy the rich taste tinted with fragrant cinnamon.


    It is worth noting that dates are fruits with a thousand-year history. The Indians believe that the world owes the appearance of palm trees to them, but scientists tend to think that the birthplace of the tree is Mesopotamia, where, according to historical evidence, a fruit plant was grown in the 4th millennium BC. It was often painted on the walls of Babylonian and Assyrian temples. It is repeatedly mentioned in the sacred writings - the Bible and the Koran.

    From then until today, raw and dried fruits have remained a popular food item in the Middle East and North Africa. Due to their high yields, they have always been one of the most affordable in the growing area. The majority of Russians can afford them too.

    Watch a video about dried dates:


    In modern cooking, there are many ways to prepare this product. How to eat dried dates - on their own or in dishes - is up to you. But the fact that at least occasionally you need to pamper yourself with this sweetness is a completely unambiguous statement. After all, it is not in vain that people have paid tribute for thousands of years. useful properties fetus.

Dates have long been a symbol of abundance and fertility. They contain a lot of carbohydrates, so they can easily provide the human body with vitality and incredible energy for the whole day. This fruit is considered an excellent delicacy for both adults and even very young children.

They contain more than twenty amino acids that are useful to humans. They also contain many vitamins and minerals. Date improves brain function, reduces the risk of developing diseases and has a good effect on the heart system, excellent help with an exacerbated cough. Due to their high calorie content, these fruits are not always included in the diet during balanced diets, but we are not talking about this now ... We will not get fat from a one-time intake of excess dates “per capita”. However, eating them in large quantities can also get boring. So, if you decide to include them in your daily diet, then you should find out what can be prepared from dates to diversify your menu.

Lemon pancakes with dates

Ingredients:

Dates - 400 grams;
lemon - 2 pcs.;
chicken egg - 2 pcs.;
flour - 8 tbsp. spoons;
sugar - 4 tbsp. spoons;
powder - 3 tbsp. spoons;
butter;
syrup - 3 tbsp. spoons;
salt - a quarter of a teaspoon.

1. Rinse the dates, cut them in half and remove the pits. Wash the lemons, cut into halves and squeeze the juice into a separate bowl. Remove the zest from the citrus fruits and finely chop it. Sift the flour and gently melt the butter.

2. Lightly beat eggs, add salt, butter and sugar. Then pour in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a few tablespoons of lemon zest, flour and mix everything thoroughly. Then slowly add water and beat gently. The dough must be kept for 15 minutes at room temperature. Pass the pulp of the processed dates through a meat grinder with lemon juice, the remaining zest, fruit syrup. Mix the ingredients well.

3. Fry the pancakes in a well-heated pan on one side. Put the prepared filling on the fried part, wrap it with an envelope and fry until a beautiful and very crispy golden crust.

Just before serving the cooked dish, pour pancakes with not very hot melted butter, sprinkle with a small amount of sweet powdered sugar.

Exotic dates are useful product but can cause severe allergic reactions. Therefore, the use of lemon pancakes with this fruit should be reduced to small children. This will not be so easy, because pancakes are not perceived as a dessert. And here is an example of my favorite date dish - the recipe for date balls. They are perceived as sweet, therefore it is much easier to explain to children that you can’t eat a lot of them.

date balls

Ingredients:

Dates - 400 grams;
liquid honey - 60 grams;
walnuts - 200 grams;
add sesame seeds to taste.

Step by step cooking:

1. Rinse the dates thoroughly and remove all seeds.

2. To prepare the right and tasty date balls, you need to pass all the ingredients through a meat grinder. Chop the dates first, then walnuts. Add liquid honey and mix thoroughly until the mass is completely homogeneous.

3. Pour sesame seeds into a separate plate. From the prepared sweet mixture, roll up small balls - the size of quail eggs. Each of the balls must be rolled in sesame seeds.

For proper cooking date balls instead of sesame seeds, you can easily use coconut flakes.

Toffee pudding

Ingredients:

Dates - 100 grams;
dried fruits - 50 grams;
a little soda;
brown sugar - 150 grams;
butter - 225 grams;
pancake flour - 150 grams;
chicken egg - 2 pcs.;
sour cream - 6 tbsp. spoons.

Step by step cooking:

1. Finely chop dried fruits and dates. Spread all the butter on kitchen table for maximum softening. Sift flour carefully.

2. Lubricate the microwave molds with butter. In a container convenient for you, mix dried fruits with soda and pour the mixture with an incomplete glass of boiling water. This mass must be infused for several hours.

3. Beat 150 g of sugar and literally 75 g of butter until a good foam, then add the sifted flour, beat in the chicken eggs.

4. Drain the dried fruits and add them to the mass. Mix the dough, pour into all molds for the microwave.

5. The pudding must be baked for 3 minutes, and then let it stand for literally 5 minutes - during this minimum time it will harden a little.

6. Next, you need to prepare the sauce for the pudding. Mix the sour cream, the remaining butter and sugar, pour the resulting mixture into a microwave container and place in your oven for about three minutes. Stir in the prepared sauce.

7. Pudding is served warm. Drizzle with delicious sauce first. The dish goes well with a cup of English tea. You can decorate the sweetness with cream, mint leaves, and also put a ball of ice cream next to it.

You can make pudding without a microwave. To do this, you will need to cook it for 40-50 minutes at 200 degrees. In this case, it is recommended to cook the sauce on a regular stove to the density you need, but not for very long, as it can certainly turn into a full caramel, which is not suitable for this most delicate dessert.

This, of course, is not all dishes that include dates, recipes with their use are much more extensive. Compotes, salads, sweets are prepared with them. We will also talk about this sometime.