Dates stuffed with almonds and sesame
Soft pitted dates stuffed with an almond paste perfumed with cinnamon and rose water, rolled in toasted sesame. A dense, energy-packed bite, sweet and delicately spiced — the medieval 'candy' of the desert and the road.
Soft pitted dates stuffed with an almond paste perfumed with cinnamon and rose water, rolled in toasted sesame. A dense, energy-packed bite, sweet and delicately spiced — the medieval 'candy' of the desert and the road.
When I took the road to Cairo, at the call of the caliph who believed I could tame the Nile, I filled my bag with dates: for the wise traveler carries the fruit that does not spoil. I opened each date with a finger, removed the pit, and lodged a crushed almond with a hint of cinnamon. Roll them in toasted sesame, O travel companion, and you will have enough to sustain your march and sweeten your mouth until the next stop.
- •Soft dates — a handful (sweet shell)
- •Almonds — as many as dates (stuffing)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (warm spice)
- •Rose water — a few drops (perfume)
- •Sesame seeds — for rolling (toasted coating)
Dates stuffed with almonds and sesame
Soft pitted dates stuffed with an almond paste perfumed with cinnamon and rose water, rolled in toasted sesame. A dense, energy-packed bite, sweet and delicately spiced — the medieval 'candy' of the desert and the road.
Why this dish? Ibn al-Haytham traveled from Basra to Baghdad and then to Cairo, on the promise of regulating the Nile for the caliph. Dates, mentioned in his known diet, were the quintessential travel companion: nourishing, sweet, easy to carry in a bag. Stuffed with almonds, they became the ideal snack for the traveling scholar and the sweet that closes the meal.
When I took the road to Cairo, at the call of the caliph who believed I could tame the Nile, I filled my bag with dates: for the wise traveler carries the fruit that does not spoil. I opened each date with a finger, removed the pit, and lodged a crushed almond with a hint of cinnamon. Roll them in toasted sesame, O travel companion, and you will have enough to sustain your march and sweeten your mouth until the next stop.
Ingredients (period version)
- Soft dates — a handful (sweet shell)
- Almonds — as many as dates (stuffing)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (warm spice)
- Rose water — a few drops (perfume)
- Sesame seeds — for rolling (toasted coating)
Ingredients
- Medjool dates — 12 (shell)
- Almond powder — 60 g (stuffing)
- Honey — 1 tsp (binder for stuffing)
- Ground cinnamon — ½ tsp (spice)
- Rose water — ½ tsp (perfume)
- Golden sesame seeds — 3 tbsp (coating)
Method
- Mix the almond powder, honey, cinnamon, and rose water into a malleable paste.
- Slit each date lengthwise and remove the pit.
- Fill the inside with a little almond paste and close slightly.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden.
- Roll the stuffed dates in the toasted sesame and store in an airtight container for the road.
How it was made : Dates and almonds were staple provisions of the medieval Islamic world, transported by caravans. Almond pastes were often perfumed with rose water or musk in court kitchens; here, cinnamon offers a more modest version, within reach of the traveler.
The contemporary twist : A pinch of fleur de sel on the sesame awakens the sweetness: serve with coffee as an after-dinner treat.
Sources : Kitāb al-Ṭabīkh by al-Baghdādī · Lilia Zaouali, L'Islam à table — La cuisine médiévale arabe
Alhazen (Ibn al-Haytham) · Charactorium
