SHORBA,SHAMI: DELISH DATE RECIPES FOR RAMZAN

Dates & ginger pudding

Date & Ginger Pudding

Ingredients
For the dough: 3 cups milk; 1 cup uncooked pearl barley; 1 cup granulated sugar or honey; 2 tsp ginger; 1 piece cinnamon stick; 1 tsp nutmeg; a pinch of vanilla bean; ½ tbsp ground turmeric; ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar; 1 cup seedless Kimia dates (pitted and chopped); salt to taste
Method
 In a saucepan, combine milk, barley, granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add vanilla pod and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir. In a bowl, whisk the turmeric. Stir in barley mixture.
 Cook until the mixture thickens. Let it cool. Discard the cinnamon stick and vanilla pod. In a saucepan, simmer sugar, water, and ginger on medium heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove, stir in the dates, and add salt, and black pepper. Serve warm or chilled.
– Recipe by chef Gaurav Lavania

Khajoor ki shami

Khajoor ki Shami

Ingredients
200gm lotus stem; 200gm dates; 100gm potato; 1 tsp turmeric; 50 gm sesame; 1 tbsp cumin powder; 1 tsp garam masala; 20gm garlic; 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 1 bunch coriander; 8 green chillies; 150gm chana; 200gm ghee; salt
Method
 In a pan, add ghee, garlic and sauté.
 Add dates and lotus stem and sauté for 10-15 minutes. Add all the spices, roasted chana. Mix and cook for 10 minutes.
 Once cooled, mince and shape the mixture into patties. Shallow fry until golden. Serve.
– Recipe by chef Ishtyak

Khajur ka shorba

Khajur ka shorba

Ingredients
1 cup pitted dates; 4 cups water; 1 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp jeera; 1 onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 inch piece ginger; 1 tomato; 1 tsp haldi; 1 tsp dhaniya powder; 1 tsp garam masala; salt to taste
Method
 Heat ghee in a pot over medium heat. Let jeera splutter.
 Add chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute. Add tomato and cook until it softens. Stir in all the masala and cook for 1 minute.
 Add chopped dates and combine with the spices and vegetables
 Pour in water and bring to a boil. Simmer until the dates are soft
 Season with salt. Blend the soup until smooth.
 Garnish with cilantro leaves and lemon juice.
– Recipe by chef Ishtyak

Creative ways to consume dates
 Use as a natural sweetenerfor oats, chia pudding andporridge
 As chutneys or date paste inmany dishes
 Mix with peanut butteror nut butters
 Can beblended intosmoothiesand milkshakes
– Inputs bySohini Shah
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