974. Iraqi Date Pickles aka Najafi Pickles

Date pickles, you say? Google date pickles and the vast majority of your findings will be an Indian condiment with an ingredient list of at least ten different spices. However, there is an Iraqi date pickle very famous and loved to its connaisseurs, but so sadly unknown to the world.
It hails from the city of Najaf, a beautiful city almost completely tainted by idolators. The pickles are many times named turshi Najafi, after the city. They are also known as turshi mdabbas, which gives you a clue to one of its ingredients: dibis, aka date molasses. I think that these dates and the magenta turnip pickles are my favorites. I took advantage of the date season and used unripe dates, but many atimes this pickle brine is used for various vegetables or even a mix of vegetables.

Ingredients:

10 cups water
10 Tbsp salt
2 kg unripe dates
4 cups red grape vinegar
2 cups date molasses

Method:

Cut the unripe dates in half, discarding the pits.
Bring to boil the water and salt.
Blanche the halved dates in the boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes; drain, discard water.
Pack the hot dates in sterilized jars and pour over the molasses-vinegar mix.
Seal tightly and let sit at room temperature for a week before consuming.
Store covered in the refrigerator once ripened.

صحة و عافية