It is Bulan Ramadhan (the Muslim fasting month) and the most common food readily available this month are…
Dates
I love dates (the edible kind!) and I’d stock up on plenty of dates during Ramadhan each year. Do you know that dates are fruits like this…
Fresh dates
And no, you can’t eat it when it looks so crunchy and nice because it’d be dry. It is best eaten when it is ‘well done’ as in when it softens. Anyway, dates are packed with nutrients and quite good for health too.
Here are some facts on dates:
- it is high in potassium (meaning it helps those with constipation) and also contains phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and iron.
- As for vitamins, it contains Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Niacin, Folate and Choline.
- One date is about 20 calories
- It is a good source of energy
- It is easily digested
- It is good for intestinal health as in it helps to establish a colony of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
- It is good to strengthen the heart
- Though it is sweet, it does not attract ants at all
- It could be kept at room temperature or even in the fridge for a very long time without spoiling
- now this one is pretty interesting though I am not sure if it is true or not…. it could be used to make a tonic to improve sexual stamina and sterility due to functional disorders.
Imagine that, dates could help your sex life! Forget the little blue pill and have more dates…
China Dates
Noticed how much rounder the China dates are compared to the Middle East dates (pic above)? Hmmm… but both are equally sweet and good! And a recent new product:
A date with a nut
Yep, dates stuffed with nuts…
Dates with nuts
…..Is it me or did that phrase sound so full of unspoken puns? Heheh… Happy Ramadhan to my Muslim readers (if any) and happy dating date-eating to all my other readers. If you don’t want to eat it as it is, here’s a great recipe using dates and chocolate (yum!):
Non-bake Chocolate and Dates Brownie
Ingredients
150gm – 200gm dates (or 1 cup), pitted
120gm walnuts (or 1 cup) or any nuts of your choice
50 gram cocoa powder
Instructions
1. Place the dates, nuts and cocoa into a blender and blend well until a paste forms.
2. Press it into a pan. Add frosting if you want and then place it in the fridge.
3. It is done when you insert a knife into it and it’s not too sticky.
4. It stores well in the fridge or freezer.
For the frosting, just melt some cooking chocolate over a pan of boiling water and then pour it over the top of the blended dates and nuts before refrigerating it.
Enjoy!
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I prefer a date with a nymphomaniac. But knowing my luck, if it rains nymphos I will end up with a lesbian.
I went to a middle east, not sure if it was Lebanese or Iranian and bought some wonderful seedless dates (seed removed). Very big, sweet and fleshy.
And I discovered a new treat, dried Mulberry berries. It comes from the Mulberry tree that feeds the silk worms. Beautiful and sweet.
engineer: How nice, it’s not easy to find mulberries here and the last I heard, no rain of nymphos either…although we do have nuts aplenty.
Hi! I love dates and you got some nice pictures here. Ever tried chocolate dates? They are lovely!
The dates from the middle east are nicer than those from China, much much nicer but of course also much much more expensive.
One of my other favourites is the Sticky Date pudding. I buy those fresh if I can but I found one that comes in a can in the supermarket. Just soak the can in hot water for 15 minutes and then open the can and “pour” the pudding onto a plate.
One type is “self saucing” i.e on the bottom of the can is either chocolate or caramel sauce. I prefer to eat my warm pudding with a big scoop of ice cream.
Yes I have gone on dates with nuts before ….