I spent last summer in Palestine and it happened to be during the month of Ramadan. What a wonderful time to bring people together and break the fast with delicious food.
The market was loaded with fresh produce, aromatic sweets, nuts, freshly baked breads and my favorite, Katayef; a small pancake stuffed with nuts or sweetened cheese. But what stood out for me is this little shop in Jerusalem that made fresh almond milk a nutty goodness so wholesome and so fresh. The guy would scream "haleeeb looz tazzaa", and people would stand in line waiting on their two liter goodness. Fasters would drink it to break their fast and nourish their soul.
These energy date balls and a talk glass of almond milk are a perfect way to break a day of fasting. The fact that they are loaded with minerals and vitamins makes for a wonderful start at Suhoor to a new day of fasting. Today, I will be showing you how to make these delicious energy balls.
💡 Did You Know: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to eat 5 dates and a cup of milk for suhoor.
Medjool Dates & Tahini Energy Balls Recipe:
Ingredients:
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2 cup Medjool dates about 15-18 pits removed
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1 cup raw almonds
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1/4 cup sesame seeds
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A pinch of sea salt
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1 tbls tahini paste
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1 tbls almond butter
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1/4 a tsp of cinnamon
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A few grinds of fresh grated nutmeg
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1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
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½ a cup of slivered almonds and/or sesame seeds to roll the date balls in it.
Directions:
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Soak dates in warm water for approximately 10 minutes then drain well. (TIP: reserve the date soaking water incase mixture is too thick)
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Pulse almonds first in the food processor. Then add dates, spices, tahini, almond butter, and sea salt to a food processor until ingredients are well mixed together. Lastly, add the vanilla and the sesame seeds.
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If mixture is too thick, you can add a tsp of almond milk or date water (water the dates were soaking in).
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Scoop the raw dough with a small cookie or ice cream scooper and roll it between your hands.
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Roll each date ball in almonds and/or sesame seeds.
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Store date balls in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks making it the perfect energy bites anytime.
***Recipe and photos are property of Almond & Fig. Recipes and photos are not to be shared or copied without permission please. Thank you!
ABOUT THE COOK
Almond & Fig : Mai Kakish
Mai, founder of Almond & Fig, created this project as a memoir to preserve traditional recipes with a modern twist. Mai cooks to remember the home where her roots reside and to pass that connection on to her future generation that has yet to come. Through Almond & Fig, she enjoys sharing meals from her family table to you with quick and easy instructions. Through her cooking and stories, she hope to inspire you to cook food from an often misunderstood part of the world. You, too, can tell stories and make memories through food!