With the 2012 Liwa Date Festival just finished and the recent start of Ramadan, it’s safe to say we’ve well and truly entered date season. No iftar table is complete without them and you’ve doubtless noticed your supermarket shelves jam-packed with the different varieties of this dry and fresh fruit.
But if you’re new to this Middle-Eastern favourite, you’ve probably got all sorts of questions, from the cultural to the dietary. Not to mention, all that choice can seem a little overwhelming, right? Not only are they tasty, they're good for you, too.
So here's a guide to the pick of the best ones you can buy locally in Abu Dhabi.
Fresh dates: If you're one of those people who thought dates grew all brown and shrivelled on the stalk, you’re in for a little surprise. Before they go all pruney, fresh dates are hard and crunchy. When you bite into the firm flesh, they'll feel grainy and leave an odd, dry sensation in your mouth. Then you’ll notice a subtle sweetness, a bit like sugar cane if you’ve ever tried it. Fresh dates are definitely an acquired taste, but once you get used to it, you’ll be hard pressed to stop eating them.
Khalas: Average-sized and reddish dark brown in colour, Khalas dates are moist and sticky, have a hearty flavour and a butter-caramel taste. Very fleshy, they melt warmly in your mouth. Someone at the TOAD office once asked why these dates were called Khalas, meaning, ‘enough’ or ‘finished’ in Arabic. We reckon it's because once you’ve tried them, you might not want to eat any other variety. They originated from the Al Qasim and Al Kharj regions in Saudi Arabia and we're pretty sure you'll love them.
Sheeshe: These bi-coloured beauties are more pleasing to the eye than some. Sheeshe dates are yellow and light brown and have a thick skin. Slightly dry in texture, they have a subtle flavour and are perfect for those of you who don’t like things too sweet. Almarina: Red to dark brown in colour, these are long, large, wrinkly dates that are a hefty mouthful. They’ve got thick, dry skin (thicker and drier than the Sheeshe) which can even be peeled off if you want. The Almarina dates are less fleshy and have a thick wall of dry, chewy inner fibres around the seed, which makes it easy to extract. The taste can be overwhelmingly sweet.
Fard: Small and roundish with very thin skin that cracks easily to let the stickiness out, Fard dates are a reddish light brown in colour. They’re toffee-sweet and have a pleasant aftertaste that wafts up the back of your throat to your nose with a warm, almost burnt flavour.
Madjoul: Dark brown in colour, the Madjoul is a medium-sized date. It’s firm and very chewy, with little flesh, like the Almarina. It has a hard, dry skin with very distinct wrinkles and has a strong, sweet flavour.
sumber dari: timeoutabudhabi.com
