Dates -- a seasonal delight during the fasting month

Deni Putri, Contributor, Jakarta

During Ramadhan, dates are much in demand by Muslims as a special snack for breaking the fast. Locally known as korma, dates are widely available in traditional markets or supermarkets.

Muslims believe that dates were consumed by Prophet Muhammad when breaking the fast. Dates help Muslims -- who fast for almost 14 hours a day for a whole month -- regain energy because the fruit contains calories and is high in fiber.

Dates are most often imported from the Middle East. The shape of the fruit and its price varies. People have to check the quality and taste when buying dates.

Korma sold at some traditional markets are labeled based on their origin. There are korma Tunisia (Tunisian dates), korma Mesir (Egyptian dates), korma Madinah (Medina dates) and korma Irak (Iraqi dates).

Some vendors at Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta sell their dates based on the fruit's characteristics, such as korma Madinah Super (super Medina dates), korma kering (dried dates), and korma basah (sticky dates).

Tunisian dates are usually thin and pale chocolate in color, have long stones, soft flesh and thick skins. They are not sticky and are often called korma anggur (grape dates). The oval-shaped dates are usually sold in packets with the fruit's stalks still attached.

Egyptian dates are dark chocolate in color, very soft, with thick flesh. Iraqi dates are thin, light chocolate in color, with a chewy flesh. Egyptian dates are larger than Iraqi dates. Both have thick skins, big stones and sticky flesh.

Dates imported from Medina, Saudi Arabia, have a long shape, slender stones, thick skins, chewy flesh and are dark chocolate in color.

Besides these well-known dates from the Middle East, many may not be aware that some supermarkets in the capital also sell dates imported from China, which are not so readily available at traditional markets.

Imported from Hebei, China, these dates taste delicious and have a dark red color, small stones, thin skins, with thick and soft flesh. Many people are not yet familiar with these small dates.

Most dates taste sweet, just like honey. But the Tunisian variety, as well as the red dates, are less sweet, when compared to the others.

Despite being consumed as fruit, dates can also be used in cakes, cookies and kolak (fruit stewed in coconut milk and brown sugar).

At Tanah Abang traditional market, the imported dates are sold at various prices. Some date vendors sell the fruit for between Rp 20,000 (US$1.9) and Rp 25,000 per kilogram. Others sell Egyptian dates for between Rp 8,500 and Rp 9,000 per kilogram. Medina dates cost Rp 11,000 per kilogram and Iraqi dates are priced at Rp 5,000 per kilogram. Tunisian dates are more expensive at Rp 22,000 per kilogram.

At a supermarket in Taman Anggrek Mall, West Jakarta, red dates sell at Rp 6,500 per small box (200 grams) and Rp 12,500 (400 grams) for a larger box. Tunisian dates cost Rp 49,800 per box (one kilogram).

A date vendor, Mama Aldi, at Tanah Abang market said most of his customers preferred Egyptian dates because the flesh was tender and they were not too expensive.

The vendor, who sells 300 kilograms of dates per day during Ramadhan, said Tunisian dates would soon be sold out.

Another seller, who claimed that her customers included Hotel Santika and the radio station, Sonora, said that the price of dates would rocket up to Rp 20,000 per kilogram after Idul Fitri or Lebaran, but the price would go down to Rp 5,000 per kilogram during Lebaran.

One last word of warning. If you plan to buy packaged dates either in cartons or plastic boxes, don't forget to check the expiry date. And, if you prefer to buy unwrapped korma, look carefully at the color of the skin and flesh before making your purchase.