Tahini Sea Salt Medjool Dates are, be warned, extremely addicting.
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Because there are only 3 ingredients here; Medjool dates, tahini, and sea salt you need to make sure you’re using quality ingredients. Medjool dates are considered the king of dates because of their size and sweetness. In North Africa and Middle Eastern desert there are over 1,500 of different types of dates but in the US they grow about 30 different varieties and mainly focus on 3; Medjool and Deglet.
Where do Medjool dates originate from?
Medjool dates are from North Africa and the Middle East where they thrive in the hot dry climate. In 1927, Morocco sent 11 Medjool date palms to the United States in fear of them becoming extinct because of a disease threatening their existence. Six of these eleven trees are still standing today in Arizona and often referred to as the BIG SIX. My friend Yvonne from My Halal Kitchen does a great job walking us through the life of a Medjool date.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is derived from the Arabic word “tahana” which means “to grind”. It’s basically sesame seeds ground up into a smooth paste and its basically the peanut butter of the Middle East. It’s used in everything from salads, to entrees to dessert and even drinks. When I was growing up tahini was not mainstream like it is now and it was hard to find tahini. My mom had to drive over 30 minutes to one little mom and pop Middle Eastern store to buy it. Nowadays there are a ton of different options but the ones that are most authentic and the only ones I like to use are these two brands that I buy from my local Middle Eastern store and now are available on Amazon this or that. I also spotted them recently at Costco.
Which Sea Salt should I use?
Maldon Sea Salt hands down. You can find it at Amazon, Williams Sonoma, your local supermarket etc. It’s the perfect sea salt for this snack.
Do I need to refrigerate this?
I like to put it in the fridge to harden for a bit then take it out about a minute before I like to enjoy it. The date becomes nice and chewy and the tahini hardens but instantly melts in your mouth. The sprinkle of sea salt is the perfect addition at the end balancing the entire dessert out.
Taste like snickers with the perfect chewiness from the dates, creaminess and nutiness from the tahini and just the right amount of salt to balance the perfect ALL NATURAL sweet and salty snack.
- 5 medjool dates pitted and sliced down the center
- 1 Tbls tahini
- 1 tsp Maldon Sea Salt
pit the dates and slice an opening down the center
fill with tahini
put in the fridge for at least 2-3 minutes
take it out at least a minute before you want to enjoy
sprinkle with sea salt
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