Bahrain
Letter From Bahrain Delectable Dates!
John Ridley examines the significance of dates- a magnificent fruit, which holds a special place in the hearts of all people in the Middle East.
F
rom the earliest of times, the date palm, believed to have originated on the banks of the Nile and Euphrates Rivers, has been considered a symbol of hospitality, and is widely praised by poets across the region as an emblem of a traditional and proud culture. Rich in minerals and vitamins and high in glucose and fructose, dates are an excellent source of nutrition, often eaten fresh they are considered an essential part of the diet for the Bedouin traveller in the desert or mountains of Arabia. Across the Arabian Gulf, hospitality is demonstrated by offering guests coffee, made with equal parts of lightly roasted coffee beans and cardamom, accompanied with a variety of beautifully presented fresh dates. Dates are also used in cooking, they can be chopped and used in sweets, cakes, biscuits and chocolates and other dessert dishes; they are even used in savoury dishes such as pickles and vinegar. Like all fruit, dates are a seasonal product and therefore the supply can be limited. The fruit freezes well, once defrosted they can be enjoyed throughout the year as could processed and dried dates. The fruit grows in four stages, known across the world by the Arabic terms. The “Kimri” or first stage is the appearance of a small green inedible fruit, one month after pollination. By the “Khalal” stage, the fruit is mature and turns yellow or red in colour. The fruit is now edible, and very popular in the Arabian
Gulf. It has a mild astringent flavour that does not appeal to the western pallet and so is rarely found outside the Middle East. The third, or “Rutab”, stage reveals a half-brown and half-yellow or red fruit with a high sucrose content which has lost the astringent flavour. The final stage of fruit maturation, 200 days after pollination, is known as “Tamr”, by now the fruit is the universally recognised brown coloured date. Most supermarkets will stock several varieties, whilst they’re all wonderful to snack on, they all have very different characteristics: Medjool are the larger dates often seen in plastic packages. They’re incredibly soft and sweet, wonderful for stuffings or using in drinks and stews. They are very moist and as such, not the best for baking. Deglet Noor boast a deep amber colour and a chewier and much drier texture than Medjool, they keep a little longer and are a good all-purpose fruit. Thoory are dry with very light brown colour. They are much harder than Medjool and have a distinctly nutty flavour. Halawi - the Arabic term for sweet - are slightly smaller and have a caramel flavour that makes them a perfect accompaniment to cheeses and savoury dishes. For the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula, the date palm tree is more than a source of highly nutritious food. Known as “the tree of life” all parts of the palm tree are put to use; the wide branches and leaves provided shade from the heat of the strong desert sun, or were used for making huts, mats, screens, baskets, brooms and hats.
“In the holy Qur’an the palm tree is referred to as the “blessed tree”.”
70 | Bahrain Confidential | November 2012
John R Ridley
The tree also has a strong religious importance; in the holy Qur’an the palm tree is referred to as the “blessed tree”, the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) encouraged Muslims to break their fast at the sunset during the month of Ramadan with dates and water. When the Prophet built his first mosque in Madinah, the pillars were constructed from the trunks of the palm trees and the roof was woven from palm fronds. Another important religious link to dates is the Qur’anic story of the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus; she heard a voice telling her: “Shake the trunk of the palm tree towards thee - it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. Eat, then and drink, and let thine eye be gladdened” (Qur’an 19:25-26). Today, dates are still eaten to ease childbirth, ward off the symptoms of chestiness and other wintery ailments and used medicinally to counteract feelings of discontent and lack of creative fulfilment. The date palm and it’s fruit, so revered and important to people across the Arabian Gulf is certain to remain entwined in the lives of the Arabian people, culture and religion for centuries to come. Taken from “Gluten free cooking from the Arabian Gulf” by Naomi Devlin and John Ridley, due to be published in Bahrain in early December
John Ridley is a journalist who has lived and worked in the Middle East for more than thirty years. Based in Bahrain, John can be contacted at john@johnridley.nu