For thousands of years, dates have been a mainstay of the human diet. These fruits are high in minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium and have a low-fat level and a high fibre content. The humble date fruit, whether fresh or dried, is traditionally consumed as a snack, or used in cooking, but you will be surprised to discover that it is not limited to that.
It is a great alternative to common sweeteners, such as honey, artificial sugars and jams. Due to its health benefits and long shelf life, dates are used as a base for gourmet creations, it does not only add natural sweetness to dishes, all of the nutrients in the fruit is also retained.
There are a large variety of products that are crafted using fresh or dry dates. Here are some popular products made from date fruits.
1. Date Syrup
Date syrup or date honey is one of the oldest natural sweeteners. It is prepared by pitting and chopping the date fruit and then boiled in water. Once it is pureed, the liquid is then extracted using a strainer. Date syrup is full of magnesium, potassium, amino acids, antioxidants, and other nutrients with every serving. Date dhibs, as it is referred to in the Middle East, is used as a refined sugar substitute in beverages, chocolate, ice cream, marmalade, and candies. When drizzled over a bowl of oatmeal, yoghurt, French toast, or even pancakes, Bateel’s organic Date Dhibs makes for a nutritious addition. It is also used in baking to substitute sugar or honey.
2. Date Jam
Typically, jams are made from fruits and sugar (with lemon juice, or even pectin) which are heated until it is glossy, thick, and spreadable like soft butter. While the art of jam making has a long history, it’s recently that the dates have been crafted into a jam. Date jam is a rich and luxurious spread of dates. This gourmet product preserves dates longer compared to the shelf life of the raw fruit. Crafted from all-natural ingredients Bateel’s gourmet Date Jam is an exquisite blend of date sweetness and lemon freshness. It is prepared using Bateel’s organic Kholas dates having a delightful toffee flavour adding a hint of lemon. It is best enjoyed for breakfast as a spread on warm toast.
3. Date Vinegar
Dates can be used to make a sweet flavoured vinegar. The fruit is first blended with water and a fermentation yeast cultures. It is then left to sit open in the air while the culture ferments the fruit mix and transforms it into vinegar. A cheesecloth is placed over the open container to help protect the process. The resulting sweet-savoury vinegar can be used as a dressing or an ingredient in a variety of dishes. Even though date vinegar is the oldest vinegar known, few people are aware of the many health benefits it provides. It reduces bad cholesterol, inflammation, decreases blood sugar level and is proven to be beneficial for the heart .
4. Date Palm Sugar
A great alternative to white sugar, date is prepared by mashing raw dates into a pulp. The paste is then combined with maltodextrin. The mixture is dried in the oven before grinding into granules. As this sugar is made from whole pitted dates – the fibre in the dates leaves grit in the sugar that may not fully dissolve in liquids or baked goods. Although it has a similar appearance to brown sugar, it has a sweet, butterscotch-like flavour that is considerably more subtle. Date sugar can be used as a topping for muffins and pies and added to porridge, giving a subtle caramel like texture and appearance.
5. Date Juice
Date juice have been appreciated since decades and used in Ayurvedic practice. It is a good remedy for summer dehydration and believed to help overcome weakness. The sweet sap extracted from the date palm trees is traditionally referred to as date juice. In the winter, date sap is usually emitted from the soft trunk of the top-most part of the date tree. Every day, the bark and some piths of the trunk are delicately shaved to allow the juice or sap to flow. An earthen jar is hung at the shaved section of the tree to collect the juice, which is gathered overnight.
Today, pre-soaked dates are blended with water or milk to make a date juice. It is a natural health tonic consumed by both children and adults as a highly nutritious summer drink. This juice is high in soluble and insoluble fibre, both of which can help decrease cholesterol and prevent heart diseases. It also aids in blood sugar stabilisation by slowing the rate of digestion; additionally, it makes one feel full and lowers temptation for sweets.
Bateel’s signature sparkling beverage, created with apple and the finest gourmet dates, is the ideal thirst-quencher, especially when served chilled. It is a delightful drink with light carbonation and is a popular choice for creative cocktails. It is available online at bateel.com and served in Café Bateel.
