Dates are natures pack of energy boosts because they are rich in complex carbs. These carbs and sugars slowly break down and release energy into your body. How does this benefit you? And how can you bring it to practical use?
The slow breakdown of the sugars allows dates to become a better source of nutrition. Natural medicine in India, prominently Ayurveda, strongly recommends eating soaked dry dates before eating lunch or dinner to feel full and cut back on food.
Dates are also known for their rich deposits of vitamins. Even considering their taste, you will find them sweet to be sweet and filled with deliciousness. With a bit of creativity, you can turn this diverse munchable into almost any other cuisine or dish.
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Why Should You Soak Dates?
According to researchers, there are complex carbohydrates in dates. These are a good source of energy but are also heavy to digest. These complex carbs, as explained above, lead to the slow release of energy.
By soaking dates, you make the quick breakdown of these complex carbs possible and allow your body to get its full health benefits. Natural medicine in India, prominently Ayurveda, strongly recommends eating soaked dry dates before eating lunch or dinner to feel full and cut back on food.
Another reason people soak dates is to return their moisture to them. These soaked can be combined with drinks and even created into various sauces in Asian and Oriental culture. You can use the enriched dates to make Ma’amoul, Magrood and Kleicha.
How to Soak Dates
First of all, two factors dictate how your dates should be soaked. The first factor is whether your dates are dry or fresh. The second factor is the recipe you follow and what it instructs you to do.
The general method for soaking dates is simple. You take some dates and put them in water so that they can soak enough of it and become softer. If you are using fresh dates, specifically the soft and mushy ones, you should try to steam them instead.
Soaking Dates in Water
The best medium to soak your dates will always be water. You can get perfectly soaked dates in less than 30 minutes by using lukewarm water. Also, the soaking method happens to be simple when you use water as a soaking medium.
You only need to keep your dates inside a steamer or pour a bit of hot water over them. You don’t need to do anything extra or complex.
How Long To Soak Dates
You can get perfectly soaked dates in less than 30 minutes. If you are using fresh dates and hot water, you can get soaked dates in less than 20 minutes. The time that you soak your dates for depends on your needs.
Most recipes require dates to be soaked for less than 30 minutes. In rare cases, you may find that your dates need to be soaked for more than a few hours to get a sauce or specific texture. However, most of the time, 30 minutes is more than enough.
Can You Soak Dates Overnight?
If the recipe that you are following instructs you to soak your dates overnight, then yes. Otherwise, we do not recommend soaking dates overnight. On the contrary, soaking dates too long can make them too slimy and malformed.
Also, soaking dates too long can lead to a fermentation process that leads to slight alcohol tendencies. You may find your dates becoming toxic if they are soaked for too long. You should always be careful about that aspect of dates.
How to Soak Dates Fast
The standard method for dates also happens to be the quickest method for soaking dates. The standard method requires the use of hot water. You will need some good heat-resistant gloves like G and F Products 8119 BBQ Gloves or Landteek BBQ Gloves to handle all of the heat.
Some people just pour the boiling hot water over the dates and let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Most people use this method for dried dates, which necessarily require soaking. If you use fresh dates, then steaming them would be a more suitable option.
Either way, you will have perfectly soaked dates in less than 30 minutes. If you have poured water over them, then drain the water and use them as you see fit.
Sources
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