Date

Everything seems to indicate that the palm tree, from the Araceae family, was the first tree cultivated by man, many millennia ago in ancient Mesopotamia.

With feet in the water and head in the fire. This is how an Arab proverb describes the ideal conditions for growing the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), exactly those that have occurred in certain areas from the Indus Valley, in Pakistan, to Morocco, the enormous strip that constitutes their natural habitat, taking advantage of underground water veins. And if an image portrays them, it is the oasis in the middle of the desert.

For most of us, dates (from the Greek daktulos, “fingers”) are nothing more than a fruit linked to Christmas or exotic recipes. But there are still peoples whose diet is based almost exclusively on cereals, milk and dates, and who consume up to 200 kilos per person per year.

In these countries, their presence next to a home was hospitality sign. Even today in countries like Morocco, distinguished visitors are officially received with an offering of milk and dates, a tradition that is still alive in humble dwellings.

In our country, the palm tree existed since ancient times, but it was the Arabs who, with the introduction of new irrigation systems and other agricultural improvements, created highly productive palm plantations.

Wonderful creations survive from that time, such as the Palm Grove of Elche, Famous since Andalusian times for its beauty and its fruits, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2000.

Date properties

Like the rest of dried fruits, the date has a high percentage of nutrients and calories (275 per 100 g).

65% of its weight is made up of easily assimilable sugars (glucose and fructose) that together with the contribution of vitamin B5 (responsible for the transformation of fats and carbohydrates into energy) make it a precious restorative in cases of physical and intellectual effort.

It is rich in potassium (650 mg per 100 g), so it combats fluid retention and its magnesium and tryptophan content help to fall asleep.

It also highlights his contribution to iron and niacin or vitamin B3, It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.

Due to its soluble fiber, it is also recommended against constipation.

Date benefits for health

The dates turn out Beneficial in stomach and intestinal disorders associated with lack of appetite.

Due to its richness in mucilaginous substances, when ripe and cooked in milk, they are usually administered for soften and soften the airways andIn case of sore throat, colds, pharyngitis, bronchitis, cough, etc. In naturopathy they are prescribed in cases of asthma, eye fatigue or liver disorders.

The Chinese traditional medicine He also uses them frequently. Due to their nature, he identifies them with a sweet taste and describes them as one of the daily foods with the greatest healing power, like rice or ginger.

For this discipline, dates tonify blood and chi (vital energy), favoring the cleaning of the circulatory system and reducing blood pressure.

It is not advisable to abuse them in case of diabetes, obesity or gastric disorders with heartburn.

Likewise, if you do not have good dental hygiene, you must be careful with your consumption, since due to its richness in sugars and its sticky texture, they can cause cavities.

The date also contains tyraminea vasoconstrictor substance that can trigger migraines in sensitive people.

The date in the kitchen

Most of the dates that are consumed in the world come from a few varieties because the new palm trees are usually created from the young of the existing ones.

Among the most common in the markets are the Deglet Noor, typical of Algeria and Tunisia; the medjul or medjoul, large and juicy, very abundant in Morocco; the barhiusually from Iraq, like the dayri, halawy or khastawi; the hanyy common in Egypt, or the khadrawyOriginally from Saudi Arabia.

In our country, however, they are usually propagated by seed, so each of them produces different and unique fruits that allow you to enjoy innumerable nuances.

Traditionally they have differentiated candias, rough skin and something harder and less sweet; the tenadas, sweeter and finer; the tender ones, some white and very sweet dates that can be eaten even when they are somewhat green, and those of marinade, artificially ripened with vinegar.

Commercially they are usually classified into soft, semi-dry and dry, although only the first two reach our markets.

When ripe, the fruit turns amber in color and offers the greatest variety of flavors and nuances, wrapped in a tender and juicy texture.

How to prepare them

Our relationship with dates is usually quite vague, simply because we do not have a recipe book that includes them.

To prepare them, you have to start by deboning and peeling them, since the skin does not taste like anything or is digested. The most practical is usually soak the dates in water. With this, two things are achieved: to facilitate their peeling and deboning, and to hydrate them to qualify their sweetness to our liking.

As they have been, we can fill them with silken tofu and mint. Thus, they can be taken as an appetizer, as a starter accompanied by a salad, as a garnish for a second course or as a dessert.

Another delicious presentation is wrapped (filled or not) in bechamel, rice, tofu puree, chickpeas, etc. They are then shaped, breaded and fried to obtain nutritious croquettes.

grating them is practical to give recipes a touch of flavor and use them in fillings for sandwiches, in canapés or in soups, salads, stir-fries, mojo sauces and pestos, pâtés, Russian steak doughs, meatballs, pasta sauces and much more.

In thick slices they suggest other preparations, such as ratatouille, quiches and empanadas, scrambled eggs, sautéed vegetables, rice and legumes; creations in which you want this ingredient to be noticed.