flipDate paste with sesame and coriander (traveler's provisions)
Date paste with sesame and coriander (traveler's provisions)
Why this dish? Hathor is "Mistress of Turquoise," worshipped at Serabit el-Khadim in the heart of the Sinai desert, where mining expeditions endured weeks of marching. Her pilgrims and miners carried concentrated, imperishable rations: pressed dates, the energy of the desert, under the protection of the goddess who watched over the roads of precious stones.
Small dense balls of crushed dates, bound with sesame and perfumed with coriander and cinnamon, rolled for travel — sweet, nourishing, and unspoiling, the energy bars of the Sinai caravans.
You who go to seek my turquoise in the mountains of Sinai, do not forget to fill your sack with these date balls. My women pound the fruit until it forms a dark paste, roll it in sesame, and mix in the fragrant seeds from the garden; it does not spoil under the sun and sustains a man where there is neither oven nor beer. Chew them on the road, and may my name guard you on the trail of stones.
- •Pitted dates — a full measure (base)
- •Sesame seeds — a handful (binder and crunch)
- •Coriander seeds — crushed (perfume)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (perfume)
- •Toasted barley flour — a little (binder)
Date paste with sesame and coriander (traveler's provisions)
Small dense balls of crushed dates, bound with sesame and perfumed with coriander and cinnamon, rolled for travel — sweet, nourishing, and unspoiling, the energy bars of the Sinai caravans.
Why this dish? Hathor is "Mistress of Turquoise," worshipped at Serabit el-Khadim in the heart of the Sinai desert, where mining expeditions endured weeks of marching. Her pilgrims and miners carried concentrated, imperishable rations: pressed dates, the energy of the desert, under the protection of the goddess who watched over the roads of precious stones.
You who go to seek my turquoise in the mountains of Sinai, do not forget to fill your sack with these date balls. My women pound the fruit until it forms a dark paste, roll it in sesame, and mix in the fragrant seeds from the garden; it does not spoil under the sun and sustains a man where there is neither oven nor beer. Chew them on the road, and may my name guard you on the trail of stones.
Ingredients (period version)
- Pitted dates — a full measure (base)
- Sesame seeds — a handful (binder and crunch)
- Coriander seeds — crushed (perfume)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (perfume)
- Toasted barley flour — a little (binder)
Ingredients
- Medjool dates, pitted — 250 g (base)
- Toasted sesame seeds — 60 g (binder and crunch)
- Ground coriander — 1 tsp (perfume)
- Ground cinnamon — 1/2 tsp (perfume)
- Barley flour or almond powder — 2 tbsp (binder)
Method
- Crush the dates in a mortar or food processor until a thick, sticky paste forms.
- Incorporate the coriander, cinnamon, and barley flour to firm up the paste.
- Form small walnut-sized balls.
- Roll them in the toasted sesame seeds, pressing firmly so they adhere.
- Let dry in the air for 1 hour; store in a cloth or box — they keep for several days.
How it was made : Dates, abundant and easy to preserve dried, were an ideal staple and travel food in Egypt. Pressed into a paste and combined with seeds (sesame, coriander), they provided concentrated, long-lasting nourishment for desert expeditions, such as those mining turquoise in Sinai under Hathor's protection. The exact process for "balls" remains a plausible evocation rather than a word-for-word attested recipe.
The contemporary twist : Rolled half in white sesame, half in black sesame, and served as petits fours under the name "Sinai Turquoises."
Sources : William J. Darby, Paul Ghalioungui & Louis Grivetti, Food: The Gift of Osiris (1977) · Pierre Tallet, La zone minière pharaonique du Sud-Sinaï (IFAO)
Hathor · Charactorium
