Types of dates

2020-12-10

Types of dates

Dates can be eaten fresh as they are picked from palm trees, or can be dried and stored for years. When dates are dried and packed in plastic bags, they tend to produce a sweet syrup that keeps dates moist and delicious. There is more than 2000 kind of dates and the most common ones are: 

1-Ajwa

Known as the ‘holy date’, Ajwa is a revered variety associated with the centuries-old Islamic faith. Grown exclusively in the Saudi Arabian city of Madinah, the dates feature a mildly sweet flesh with a raisin-like texture and dark brown to black skin. Ajwa is often limited in supply, adding to its exclusivity.

2-Barhi

Barhi or Barhee is one of the most famous date types, which has thick flesh and rich flavor. It is more delicious when eaten fresh rather than dried.

3-Thoory

Thoory or Thuri is famous in Algeria and has a very wrinkled and brown to red skin. It is usually stuffed with nuts.

4-Halawi

Halawy, Halawy or Halwa, is an extremely sweet type of date that is small in size and very soft, which explains the name it was given which means “sweet”.

5-Medjool

Medjool, Medjool, or Madjool is a sweet soft date with a fibrous texture and a skin that has a color of amber to reddish-brown. It is grown in Palestine, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

6-Khadrawy

Khadrawy or Khadrawi is an orange-brown to light-brown colored soft date, which is considered one of the best in texture and flavor and is preferrable when eaten fresh.

7-Deglet Noor

Deglet Noor means “Date of the Light” and got its name because the center of the date looks golden or light when held up to the sun. It is sweet and semi-dry.

8-Fard

Fard or Fardh is a type of date that Oman is famous for. It has a small seed, a tender skin, a sweet flavor, and its skin is dark brown.

9-Zahidi

Zahidi is a sweet semi-dry date, that has a smooth golden-yellow colored skin. It is medium-sized, cylindrical, has thick flesh, full of syrup, and is good for storing.

10-Dayri

Dayri or Derrie is a red-colored date that is soft and long. Its color changes to brown then to black, and it is soft and sweet.

11-Zaghloul

Zaghloul is a dark red-skinned date that is very popular in Egypt. It is long, crunchy, and extremely sweet.

12-Sukari

Staying true to its name – the Arabic word for ‘sweet’ – Sokari is also known as the ‘royal date’. It’s available in both soft and hard varieties, with the latter featuring crystallized sugars for a crisp, caramel bite that is complemented by the mild sugary flesh.