Date balls with samn and barley flour
A dense paste of crushed dates, bound with roasted barley flour and clarified butter, rolled into balls that keep for weeks. A concentrate of sugar and energy, the 7th-century energy bar.
A dense paste of crushed dates, bound with roasted barley flour and clarified butter, rolled into balls that keep for weeks. A concentrate of sugar and energy, the 7th-century energy bar.
You who set out upon the sea or the sand, listen to the advice of a man who has led fleets: fill your bag with this before all else. Pit the dates, crush them into a paste, mix in barley flour passed over the fire and a little samn, then roll tight balls in the palm. It does not mold, it weighs little, and three of these balls keep a man on his feet until evening. When provisions run short and the enemy is in sight, it is the date, not the spear, that decides who will hold the line.
- •Pitted dates — two large handfuls (sweet and binding base)
- •Roasted barley flour (sawiq) — a handful (binder and cereal contribution)
- •Samn (clarified butter) — a spoonful (fat binder and preservation)
- •Crushed almonds or pistachios — a small handful (crunch (optional, wealthy table))
Date balls with samn and barley flour
A dense paste of crushed dates, bound with roasted barley flour and clarified butter, rolled into balls that keep for weeks. A concentrate of sugar and energy, the 7th-century energy bar.
Why this dish? Abdallah led the Muslim fleet to victory against the Byzantines off the coast of Lycia (the Battle of the Masts) and led the army as far as Ifriqiya: long expeditions where men had to be fed without cooking. Pressed dates, energy-dense and imperishable, were the soldier's and sailor's ration.
You who set out upon the sea or the sand, listen to the advice of a man who has led fleets: fill your bag with this before all else. Pit the dates, crush them into a paste, mix in barley flour passed over the fire and a little samn, then roll tight balls in the palm. It does not mold, it weighs little, and three of these balls keep a man on his feet until evening. When provisions run short and the enemy is in sight, it is the date, not the spear, that decides who will hold the line.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pitted dates — two large handfuls (sweet and binding base)
- Roasted barley flour (sawiq) — a handful (binder and cereal contribution)
- Samn (clarified butter) — a spoonful (fat binder and preservation)
- Crushed almonds or pistachios — a small handful (crunch (optional, wealthy table))
Ingredients
- Soft pitted dates — 300 g (sweet and binding base)
- Barley flour (to be dry-roasted) or ground barley flakes — 80 g (binder and cereal contribution)
- Clarified butter (ghee) — 1 tbsp (fat binder)
- Crushed almonds or pistachios — 40 g (crunch)
- Cinnamon or orange blossom water — a pinch / a few drops (flavoring (optional))
Method
- Dry-roast the barley flour in a pan until it smells nutty, let cool.
- Crush the dates into a thick paste (in a mortar or food processor with a spoonful of warm water if needed).
- Work the date paste with the clarified butter, roasted flour, nuts, and chosen flavoring.
- Roll into small tight balls the size of a walnut.
- Let firm up for a few hours in the air. They keep for over a week in a cloth, several weeks in a cool place.
How it was made : Sawiq — roasted barley or wheat flour — was the quintessential travel ration: eaten mixed with water or milk, or kneaded with dates and butter. Light, pre-cooked, it withstood heat and fed caravans and armies on campaign.
The contemporary twist : Rolled in toasted sesame seeds and presented as 'energy balls' before energy balls — the fourteen-century-old hiking snack.
Abdallah ibn Saad · Charactorium