Black Date

The reddish ‘dates’ from the Chinese jujube tree are dried and then smoked until they are black and wrinkled. About the size of an olive, the black date has a pungent, slightly smoky, sweet flavour not dissimilar to that of a truffle. Used in Chinese cooking, black dates are used in savoury dishes that may include sticky rice, smoked sausage, lotus leaves or poultry. The stone must be removed before use. Black dates should not be confused with red dates, which are not smoked and are used in sweet rather than savoury preparations. Available: Asian food stores.