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Articles: Recipes | Date Fruit (Kharjuramu)
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 | | | Name | : | Date Palm | | | Botanical Name | : | Phoenix Dactylifera | | | Family | : | Arecaceae |
| | History | | | | Dates are the fruit of the date palm. They have been a staple food of the Middle East for thousands of years. The date palm is believed to have originated around the Persian Gulf, and has been cultivated in ancient times from Mesopotamia to prehistoric Egypt. There is archeological evidence of cultivation in eastern Arabia in 4,000 BC. | | | | In later times, Arabs spread dates around northern Africa and into Spain, and dates were introduced into California by the Spaniards in 1765. Dates are an important traditional crop in Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, U.A.R., Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, USA, and in small quantities in Spain, Mexico, Yemen and Israel. There are about 400 varieties known in Iran, but only few of them are commercially important. | | | | According to their fleshiness, dates are classified as Soft Date (Barhee, Halawy, Khadrawy, Medjool); Semidry Date (Dayri, Deglet Noor, Zahidi); Dry Date (Thoory). | | | | Physical Study | | | | They are dark reddish brown, 3-7 cm long, 2-3 cm diameter, oval-cylindrical, and about 1 1/2 inches long. The skin is wrinkled and coated with a sticky, waxy film. Depending on its vareity, when unripe, thay range from bright red to bright yellow in colour. Dates contain a single seed about 2-2.5 cm long and 6-8 mm thick and it takes six to seven months to develop its sugar characteristics The type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose and sucrose content. | | | | Plant Portrayal | | | | The date palm is extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. This is one of the three economically important fruit crops in the palm family. The palm needs dry, hot climates, because date fruits are injured at temperatures of 20 degrees F. It is a medium-sized tree, 15-25 m tall, often clumped with several trunks from a single root system, but also often growing singly. The leaves are pinnate, up to 3 m long, with spines on the petiole and about 150 leaflets; the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm broad. It has slender trunk, 18in diameter, leaf base scars form interesting geometric pattern. A single cluster can hold 600 to 1,700 date. Date palms can grow as tall as 100 feet and stay in production for over 60 years. Dates ripen in four stages, which are known throughout the world by their Arabic names kimri (unripe), khalal (full-size, crunchy), rutab (ripe, soft), tamr (ripe, sun-dried). | | | | Dates are naturally wind pollinated. Since Babylonian times, dates have been hand-pollinated, and one male tree supplies enough pollen for up to 50 females. Natural pollination requires about an equal number of male and female plants. However, with assistance one male tree can pollenize up to 50 female trees. Male flowers are alos available at local markets at pollination time. Pollination is done by skilled laborers on ladders, or less often the pollen may be blown onto the female flowers by wind machine. The palm depends on natural rainfall. Watering once per month results in fine quality of yield. | | | | Taste And Aroma | | | | The ripe fruit tastes sweet. | | | | Storage | | | | Dates at full maturity can be stored well when compared to other fruits, as they is less water content in dates. Ripe dates can be stored at 32-34°F for a year or more if humidity is kept below 20%. Fresh dates can be stored for up to 8 weeks under the same conditions. Fresh dates are harvested, graded and packed in 10 lb cardboard boxes in the Orchard still on the stems. Immature and over-mature and damaged fruits are removed during grading. After that they are transported to the cold storages. They are refrigerated for transport and storage. | | | | Culinary Uses | | | | Dates are also considered to be a complete and a very important diet. Dates contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, vitamin C, 25% more potassium, sodium, glucose and fructose, and cholesterol and a small amount of fiber, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Dates supplies 230 kcal (960 kJ) of energy. When dried, 100 grams of dates provides 3 grams of dietary fibre and supplies 270 kcal (1130 kJ) of energy. As dates have about 1430 calories per pound they are not recommended for a diet. A ripened date is composed of CHO, H2O, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. | | | | | Dates are used widely in sweet and savoury dishes such as puddings, bread, cakes, desserts etc. Dates are also processed into cubes, paste, spread, date syrup or 'honey', powder (date sugar), vinegar or alcohol. Recent innovations include products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne. In Islamic countries, dates and milk are a traditional first meal when the sun sets during Ramadan. | | | | | Tender date leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetable. In some palces, date seeds are roasted, ground, and used to adulterate coffee powder and the powder is also mixed with flour to make bread in times of scarcity. In North Africa, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, date palms are tapped for the sweet sap which is converted into palm sugar, molasses or alcoholic beverages. There are said to be at least 800 uses of the date. It is used in the confectionery for its excellent storage properties. Dried dates are fed to camels, horses and dogs in the Sahara desert. Date seeds are soaked and ground up as animal feed. | | | | Medicinal Uses | | | | Dates have a high tannin content since its used medicinally as a detersive and astringent in intestinal troubles. Dates play an important role in the diet and treatment of obesity. Dates in various forms is used to treat sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh, fever cancer and venereal disease. It is also believed that dates and peppers added are believed to make alchohol less intoxicating. The date seed powder is also used in some medicines. | | | |
| Ehnic Uses | | | | Dates oil is used in soap and cosmetic products. The seeds are burnt to make charcoal for silversmiths, and can also be strung as necklaces. | | |
| | | In North Africa, the leaves are used for making huts. Mature leaves are also used to make, huts, ropes, mats, screens, baskets and fans. Dried leaf are a source of cellulose pulp, used for walking sticks, brooms, fishing floats and fuel and processed leaves are used for insulating board, and in the construction of bridges.Left over wood is used as fire wood. In Pakistan, a thick syrup made from the ripe dates is used as a coating for leather bags and pipes to prevent from leaking. | | | | Other Names | | | | The other names of dates are chà-là, date palm, palm fruit, palma de datil, and z ozi | | | | | English | : | Dates | | | Telugu | : | Kharjuram |
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