Everything about dates
Now that Ramadan has started again, people are also eating considerably more dates than average. The stone fruit is one of the traditional components of iftar, the meal after sunset. But what types of dates are there, exactly? And what are the differences?
Dates are never missing from our pantry. But which dates are best to buy? With more than 400 different types of dates, it would be going a bit far to discuss them all. So here we’ll cover the best-known varieties.
Ajwa
There is one type of date that Muslims believe was specifically mentioned by Mohammed: the ajwa date. ‘Whoever eats seven ajwa dates in the morning will not be afflicted by poison or magic that day,’ the tradition says. This date comes from Medina in Saudi Arabia and is the most expensive of its kind. The ajwa date is soft and fruity, with a fine texture.
Medjoul
Possibly the best-known type of date in the Netherlands. They are fairly large, have a syrupy sweet flavor and a soft, fibrous texture. Medjoul dates are often eaten fresh out of hand and are grown in countries including Morocco, South Africa and Israel.
Deglet Noor
Deglet noor (or Nour) dates are mainly grown in Tunisia and Algeria: these countries supply 90% of the world’s deglet noor. Their texture is somewhat firmer and drier than that of medjoul and ajwa dates, and this variety is also slightly less sweet. This type is often used in cooking. For example, use them to make a vegan Bounty cake, or banana bread—delicious! Or go all out with Makrout: semolina cookies with date filling, oh boy… Dates are also fantastic in savory dishes, such as this dish with chicken and preserved lemon.
Barhi
This type of date is named after the hot Arabian wind called ‘barh’. The barhi is always the first fresh date available each year. When fresh, it is yellow, firm and less sweet; when dried, it is compared to a soft toffee.
Sukari
The sukari date can be described as a somewhat crunchier type of date, but it is softer than deglet noor. It is very sweet—sukari also means sweet—and is grown in Saudi Arabia. They are mainly eaten as a ‘sweet treat’ with a cup of coffee or tea.
Khudri
The khudri—also known as khodary—date is somewhat cheaper and therefore very popular. It comes from Saudi Arabia and is widely used in the chocolate industry (delicious!). They are moderately sweet and have a somewhat firmer texture without being dry.
Halawi
Halawi dates are soft with thin skin, have a caramel-like sweet flavor and a reddish-brown color.
Stuffed dates
Dates such as medjoul are also perfect for stuffing. FavorFlav’s Sharon swears by half a walnut in a date, but pistachios work well too. Nuts and dates are a fantastic combination in any case—try making Tamriah with nuts and dates, and you’ll understand what we mean. And by the way: dates can go bad too. Here’s how to recognize spoiled dates.
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