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Ranginak
Ranginak (رنگینک): walnut-stuffed dates under toasted butter flour
Ranginak is the date sweet of the south, made in Shiraz, Bushehr and Kerman in late summer when the new dates arrive and served in squares with bitter tea, and also at mourning gatherings and Ramadan iftar. Soft dates are stuffed with walnuts, packed into a dish and covered with flour slowly toasted in butter until it smells of biscuits, then dusted with cinnamon and pistachio. A common mistake is toasting the flour on too high a heat: it scorches before it turns nutty, so stir it patiently over a low flame. Chef's tip: use soft, moist dates such as Kabkab or Medjool; dry dates go hard once the butter sets.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Slit each of the 1 ⅛ lb soft dates and push a piece of 3 ½ oz walnut halves inside, then press closed. Pack them tightly, seam down, in a 20 cm round or square dish.
15 minStep 2: Melt the 5 ½ oz unsalted butter or ghee in a frying pan over a low heat, add the 4 oz plain flour and stir constantly for 15–20 minutes, until it is the colour of peanut butter and smells toasty. Don't rush it; burnt flour tastes bitter.
18 minStep 3: Take off the heat and stir in the 2 tbsp icing sugar and ½ tsp ground cardamom. Pour the hot mixture evenly over the dates, filling the gaps, and smooth with the back of a spoon.
3 minStep 4: Dust with 1 tsp ground cinnamon in lines and scatter with 2 tbsp ground pistachios. Leave at room temperature for 2–3 hours until set firm, then cut into squares. Keeps a week in an airtight box.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ranginak take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter or ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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