Alright, so everyone knows if you freeze water you get ice. What not everyone knows is if you freeze unripe dates you get the most amazing perfectly ripe rutab dates that rival the best chocolates and toffees. An that's no understatement either.
Besides the initial green inedible stage, dates go through three stages, as follows: the basar (بسر) stage is yellow, hard, and unripe, although still edible yet not sweet. The rutab (رطب) stage (my favorite) is next which is a ripened date that is caramel in color It is sweet and has a very short life before it metamorphisizes into the final stage, which is the tamr (تمر) fully ripened and sweet dark brown fruit the world knows it as. August and September are the season for fresh dates. I absolutely love dates but they are something else when in season. So with a bit of preparation and some freezer space, you can have "seasonal" dates all year long!
Ingredients:
Fresh unripe dates (basar stage)
Method:
Pick your dates off the stem (or leave them on if space in your freezer is not an issue).
Bathe the dates in a diluted vinegar bath. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
Bag the dates in a labeled freezer bag(s) and freeze. Keeps well for a good year (until next season!).
To eat, remove as many dates are you want and let the partially or fully defrost. Note that once defrosted they ripen to the dark brown stage within a few short days.
صحة و عافية
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