Ramadan & Dates

Dates (or Kurma in Malay) are a must at Ramadan, the holy fasting month of the Muslims. The elders say that one must break fast by eating at least three dates before eating other foods. Dates are one of the most complete food in the world which contain all the important minerals and vitamins needed to rejuvenate the body, especially after a fast. This year Ramadan is from 1st to the 30th of September 2008. The dates varies in price and quality; some soaked in syrup and then dried. Some ripen from the tree and then sun-dried. Some airflown, fresh. The ones we talk about here are either from Iran or Saudi Arabia. They are moist and naturally very sweet, about 1" to 1.5" in length and brown in colour when ripen, unlike the ones from China which are red and smaller in size. Although they are eaten as it is like you would dried prunes, but here is a great recipe for an easy-to-make muffin, or for a more elaborate dessert, you can serve it with vanilla ice-cream and a butterscotch sauce. Unlike the usual baked muffins, this is steamed in a wok and the result is very moist and fluffy muffins with the great taste and smell of brown sugar which enhance the flavour further.

DATES MUFFINS

1.5 cups pitted dates, chopped

1 tspn bicarbonate of soda

1 tspn vanilla essence

60 g butter or ghee

1.5 cups self-raising flour*

2/3 cups soft brown sugar

2 eggs

4 dates, extra, pitted and halved

Butterscotch sauce:

90g butter

3/4 cup soft brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

3/4 cup cream

To serve with vanilla ice-cream

Method:

1 Prepare a baking pan with 7-8 large muffin cases.

2 Prepare water for steaming in a wok and place a stand in the middle. Light the burner and cover wok with a lid.

3 Boil dates with 1 cup of water. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in bicarbonate of soda, vanilla essence and butter or ghee.

4 Sift flour into a mixing bowl and stir in brown sugar. Mix well.

5 Make a well in the center and add date mixture and eggs. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Mixture should be lumpy with air bubbles in between.

6 Spoon mixture evenly into cupcake cases until almost full and place a halved date on top. When water in wok is boiling, steam muffins on high heat for 20-25 minutes or until cooked.

7 To make sauce: Place all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

8 To serve: Place a muffin onto a serving plate (remove paper casing) and drizzle warm sauce on top and place a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on the side.

More Tips:

How to convert plain flour to self-raising flour:

Ran out of self-raising flour? Add 2 teaspoons baking powder to each cup of plain flour. Sift twice to incorporate it evenly.

Baking powder is made up of 2 parts cream of tartar and 1 part bicarbonate of soda.