The date palm (weekend herb)

So soon here comes another weekend! It is time for Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Kalyn. I have chosen an incredible herb “the date palm” as my pick for this week.

A medicinal herb may be a shrub or other woody plant, whereas a culinary herb is a non-woody plant. By contrast, spices are the seeds, berries, bark, or root, or other parts of the plant, even leaves in some cases; although any of these, as well as any edible fruits or vegetables, may be considered "herbs" in medicinal or spiritual use.

The date palm is extensively cultivated for its edible fruit known as dates. Dry or soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be seeded and stuffed with fillings such as almonds, candied orange and lemon peel, and marzipan. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savoury dishes: from tajines in Morocco to puddings, bread, cakes and other dessert items. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste, spread, date syrup or "honey", powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol.

Dates have a high tannin content and are used medicinally as a detersive and astringent in intestinal troubles. As an infusion, decoction, syrup or paste, is administered for sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh, and taken to relieve fever and number of other complaints. One traditional belief is that it can counteract alcohol intoxication. More detailed information about the date palm is here.

A 100 gram portion of fresh dates is a premium source of vitamin C and supplies 230 kcal (960 kJ) of energy. When dried, 100 grams of dates provides 3 grams of dietary fibre and supplies 270 kcal (1130 kJ) of energy.

Please find below a few pictures of the date palm, the dates, and followed by one of our all-time favorite Dates Kheer (pudding) recipe details. Enjoy!

This is my 4-year-old taste-tester, my son Adarsh, whom I had mentioned to you some time before, posing with his freshly plucked dates.

Dates kheer (pudding) recipe

Bringing ingredients together...

Ingredients:
Dates – 15
Green gram dal – ½ cup
Milk – 1-1/2 cup
Honey – 3 tablespoons
Raisins – 15
Almonds or cashewnuts – 10-15, cut into half length-wise
Butter – 2 tablespoons

Method: Grind dates with one cup of water to make a smooth paste and keep aside. Cook and mash the green gram dal well. Heat a thick-bottomed vessel and pour in the butter. Fry the cashew and raisin separately and keep aside. Add the ground date and mashed dal in the remaining butter and cook till all liquid is evaporated. Add honey and cook for a minute. Add milk slowly stirring continously. Cook on low heat till thickened. Garnish the kheer with fried almonds and raisin. Serve hot or chilled. In either ways, it is yummy.

Traditional Indian Home Cooking: Dates Kheer: Weekend Herb