Recipe contributed by: Dhara Balwa
Dates is my favorite dry fruit. I like all varieties but Deglet Noor are my favorite kind. Not too sweet, a bit chewy and stuff it up with some roasted nut -- it is a perfect filling healthy snack. This recipe, however, requires Medjool dates because of their soft and plump nature. Due to the same reasons, Medjool dates are overly sweet and you have to tone down the sweetness with lots of nuts, shredded dried coconut and edible gum. Edible gum, light brown/white in color, is a frequently used ingredient in sweets made in India during the winter time. It supposedly helps in keeping the body warm and strong. It also provides a slight crunch which I love. This Christmas, I decided to gift a pack of these date balls to friends celebrating the occasion. They are quick to make and again a good snack for the winter time (which has been brutal this year BTW!)
Makes: 90-100
Prep time: 30 min; Cook time: 10 min; Finish time: 15 min
Ingredients:
4 lbs (approx. 2 kg.) Medjool Dates
50 grams Edible Gum (If you have big chunks of gum, pulse in the mixer)
1 cup finely chopped Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios)
1/2-3/4 cup finely shredded Dried Coconut
1/4-1/2 cup Ghee/Clarified Butter
Method:
1) If the dates are not deseeded, remove the seeds and chop each date in three pieces. Once all are chopped, pulse them in batches in the food processor until its paste like. Hold your food processor (FP) tight as it would have to work against the dense date paste. You can opt out using the food processor. Then you have to chop the dates in really fine pieces and when softening them on heat, it will require tad bit more ghee and time. If the dates are pulsed in the FP, it just softens easily and it is easier to make round balls.
2) Heat up 1/4 cup of ghee in a wok/large deep pan. Once the ghee is hot, add 2 spoonful of edible gum and quickly give it a stir. They get cooked very fast and need constant stirring to save them from browning up and burning. Once all of the gum is puffed up, using a strainer, strain out the excess ghee and put aside the gum in a bowl. Repeat till you use up all the 50 grams of gum. If the ghee is too little or all used up in between, add the rest of 1/4 cup of ghee.
3) In the same wok, lower the heat. There should be a little left over ghee (1-2 Tbsp.) from the frying of the gum. Add the date paste. Keep stirring while it gets heated up and softens making one big lump of date.
4) When you feel the entire lump is thoroughly heated and good enough to work with, remove from heat and quickly add the gum, nuts and 1/2 cup (or more if you like strong flavor of it) of dried coconut. Mix well with a strong spoon or hand. My hands have become resilient to dealing with very warm food so I used my hands to give it a good mix.
5) When it is all mixed well and the lump is still warm, apply a little ghee on your palms to avoid sticking and start making lime sized balls. Arrange them in one layer till they cool down. Snack on it any time of the day. You can pop balls in the microwave for few seconds before eating if you like them warm (like me!)
Notes:
1)After you make the balls, you can also roll them in the shredded dried coconut that will coat the balls. It looks pretty.
2) You can roast the nuts before chopping to get more nuttier flavor.
3) Coconut is optional.
Dates is my favorite dry fruit. I like all varieties but Deglet Noor are my favorite kind. Not too sweet, a bit chewy and stuff it up with some roasted nut -- it is a perfect filling healthy snack. This recipe, however, requires Medjool dates because of their soft and plump nature. Due to the same reasons, Medjool dates are overly sweet and you have to tone down the sweetness with lots of nuts, shredded dried coconut and edible gum. Edible gum, light brown/white in color, is a frequently used ingredient in sweets made in India during the winter time. It supposedly helps in keeping the body warm and strong. It also provides a slight crunch which I love. This Christmas, I decided to gift a pack of these date balls to friends celebrating the occasion. They are quick to make and again a good snack for the winter time (which has been brutal this year BTW!)
Prep time: 30 min; Cook time: 10 min; Finish time: 15 min
Ingredients:
4 lbs (approx. 2 kg.) Medjool Dates
50 grams Edible Gum (If you have big chunks of gum, pulse in the mixer)
1 cup finely chopped Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios)
1/2-3/4 cup finely shredded Dried Coconut
1/4-1/2 cup Ghee/Clarified Butter
Method:
1) If the dates are not deseeded, remove the seeds and chop each date in three pieces. Once all are chopped, pulse them in batches in the food processor until its paste like. Hold your food processor (FP) tight as it would have to work against the dense date paste. You can opt out using the food processor. Then you have to chop the dates in really fine pieces and when softening them on heat, it will require tad bit more ghee and time. If the dates are pulsed in the FP, it just softens easily and it is easier to make round balls.
2) Heat up 1/4 cup of ghee in a wok/large deep pan. Once the ghee is hot, add 2 spoonful of edible gum and quickly give it a stir. They get cooked very fast and need constant stirring to save them from browning up and burning. Once all of the gum is puffed up, using a strainer, strain out the excess ghee and put aside the gum in a bowl. Repeat till you use up all the 50 grams of gum. If the ghee is too little or all used up in between, add the rest of 1/4 cup of ghee.
3) In the same wok, lower the heat. There should be a little left over ghee (1-2 Tbsp.) from the frying of the gum. Add the date paste. Keep stirring while it gets heated up and softens making one big lump of date.
4) When you feel the entire lump is thoroughly heated and good enough to work with, remove from heat and quickly add the gum, nuts and 1/2 cup (or more if you like strong flavor of it) of dried coconut. Mix well with a strong spoon or hand. My hands have become resilient to dealing with very warm food so I used my hands to give it a good mix.
5) When it is all mixed well and the lump is still warm, apply a little ghee on your palms to avoid sticking and start making lime sized balls. Arrange them in one layer till they cool down. Snack on it any time of the day. You can pop balls in the microwave for few seconds before eating if you like them warm (like me!)
Notes:
1)After you make the balls, you can also roll them in the shredded dried coconut that will coat the balls. It looks pretty.
2) You can roast the nuts before chopping to get more nuttier flavor.
3) Coconut is optional.
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