White Picket Fence

Today, we're crafting a luscious homemade date-fig elixir, but with a twist! This isn't just any date concentrate; this is a rich, spiced nectar infused with figs, cardamom, saffron, and cinnamon. Intrigued?  I used Omani dates, which are lovely, but if you can get your hands on Medjool dates, you're in for a treat. These plump, juicy jewels are the royalty of the date world, and they’ll make your syrup truly majestic. Ingredients: 10-15 dates ( khajoor ) 4 premium quality figs ( anjeer ) 2 green cardamom pods ( chhoti  elaichi ) 4-5 strands of saffron ( kesar ) 2-3 small pieces of cinnamon ( dalchini ) Instructions: Soak the dates and figs in two separate bowls of water overnight. A full 24 hours would be even better to allow them to soften and blend more easily. Deseed the dates and cut them into halves.  In a blender, combine all the ingredients—dates, figs, saffron, cardamom, and cinnamon.  Add 3-4 tablespoons of the water used to soak th...

It's a mundane Thursday, where time seems to drag on and you feel a bit disconnected. The weather matches the mood — cloudy skies without a drop of rain. Thankfully, I found some fresh cherries in the fridge, though they were only mildly sweet for this time of year. Inspired, I whipped up a delightful cherry preserve.   Homemade preserves might sound like something only grandmothers with vast cellars and an abundance of mason jars can pull off, but trust me, this recipe is as easy as pie—cherry pie, to be precise! Ingredients: 2 to 3 cups of fresh cherries  4 tbsp jaggery powder (depends on the sweetness of your cherries, no pun intended) 2 tbsp chia seeds 1 tsp lemon juice Instructions: Soak the cherries in water for a good 20 mins. I like to sprinkle a pinch or two of salt in this water. My grandma said this helps to draw out the bugs and removes pesticides as well.  Drain the water, and wash and pit the cherries. I suppose frozen cherries would do as well, as long as y...