Dates a sweet way to break the fast during Ramadan

Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, August 26, 2008

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — It’s a simple tradition centuries old and honored by millions: a bite of date taken at sundown.

This Muslim ritual is said to have begun with the Prophet Muhammad around the seventh century. Today, it often is used to end the daily fast during Ramadan, Islam’s holy month during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.

That tradition has transformed the date into a massive industry in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia alone, more than 21 million palm trees produce 884,000 tons of dates a year, making the kingdom one of the largest date producers.

Those dates are eaten fresh, dried and in any number of treats. Gourmet date shops sell date-filled chocolates, date mustard, date syrup and date bars.

Visit any home or office in the kingdom and you invariably will see a small plate heaped with dates on a coffee table. The sweetness of the fruit balances the bitter taste of the cardamom-scented coffee served to guests in small cups.

Date baskets, containing different varieties of the fruit, date cookies and date juice, are common gifts. Dates also feature in many desserts, where the fruit is the most prominent ingredient.

In Lebanon, the dates are turned into a paste that fills cookies served at the feast of Eid al-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan) and the Feast of Sacrifice, an important Muslim holiday, which falls less than three months after Ramadan.

These date paste cookies are from Sana Ahmed Khashoggi, a 52-year-old Saudi woman who as a teen learned the recipe from her grandmother.

Khashoggi makes the cookies during Ramadan, as well as other family celebrations. They are a specialty of the western Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia.

This year, Ramadan runs from Sept. 1 to 30 in Saudi Arabia, although it actually starts at sunset the night before.

Because of the difference in the Islamic and Gregorian calendars, in the United States, Ramadan starts Sept. 2 (sunset on Sept. 1).

MAHYOOSA (mah-YOU-sa)

1pound dates, pitted

1tablespoon butter

1/2cup ghee (clarified butter)

1cup whole-wheat flour

1/2teaspoon cardamom

1/2cup chopped mixed nuts such as almonds and cashews

In a food processor, combine the dates and 1 tablespoon of butter. Pulse until the fruit is well mashed and resembles a paste. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the ghee. As it melts, sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns light brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the cardamom and reserved date paste. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fully combined. Mix in the nuts.

Remove the pan from the heat and let stand until cool enough to handle. Using your hands, pinch off 1-tablespoon pieces and roll the mixture into balls. Place the balls in paper muffins cups.

In an airtight container, the cookies will keep several weeks.

Makes 36 cookies.

Recipe from Sana Ahmed Khashoggi of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia