On the holiday of trees, Tu Bishvat, which is upon us next week, dried fruits take center stage. When approaching the dried fruit stalls, you notice two types: The first and most prominent are the glossy fruits that have undergone a drying process with added sugar. Most of them have been preserved by sulfur smoking, which protects them from spoilage and gives them their bright color. This is why it is very important to wash and thoroughly dry dried fruits before consumption.
The second type is organic dried fruits, which have undergone a natural drying process, with almost no added sugar or preservatives. Their color is less shiny and perhaps less visually appealing, but their flavor is far superior, they are not calorie-dense, and their nutritional value is preserved.
There are also fresh fruits that are dried in a home machine – and the result is perfect. The preparation is really simple, and the dried fruits can be stored for a long time in glass jars in the fridge. Storing them in a cabinet, in a humid place, will lead to rapid mold growth. Today, specialty stores sell a small mesh that can be opened over a tray of dried fruits, protecting them from insects.
For the holiday, I chose to offer you a dried fruit stew, a rich side dish served at any festive occasion in the North African kitchen. It can be served over rice or couscous, and recently I have started combining it with whole-wheat pasta. This is a stew with a naturally sweet flavor, in which the scents of cinnamon and cloves are highlighted. It can easily be turned into a main dish by adding small seasoned meatballs that were prepared beforehand.
Dried Fruit Stew
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Preparation Time: About half an hour or more
- If adding meatballs: Optional
- Dish Type: Pareve/Meat
Ingredients (for 6–8 servings):
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 4 large onions, thinly sliced
- 500 g dried apricots
- 500 g pitted dried plums (prunes)
- 500 g seedless raisins
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons sugar or silan (date syrup)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup water
- For garnish/enhancement: 1/4 cup walnuts, whole or chopped
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a wide pot and sauté the onions until golden. Add the apricots, plums, and raisins, and mix well.
Pour in half a cup of water, add the lemon juice and sugar or silan, then add a little more water and bring to a boil.
If you want to add meatballs to the stew, do so at this stage: Shape 3 cm diameter meatballs and add them to the stew.
Cook for 35–40 minutes until the dried fruits are soft and the meatballs are cooked.