Basic Chinese Chicken Soup Stock (Soup Base)

Ingredient Name:  Blue Dates

Traditional Chinese Name: 藍枣 (lán zǎo)

• A long, round, wrinkled, dark coloured, seeded fruit (in its mature state) produced by the Ziziphus zizyphus trees
• Commonly found in Asia, some parts of Europe and India
• In Chinese cuisine, it can be found in both salty and sweet dishes, in soups, as dried snacks and in teas
• Blue dates are more expensive than that of their red cousins
• For drinks, the seeds can be kept as well (as it is recommended to remove the seeds from red dates)

How do I prepare it?

• Rinse in cold water before usage
• Add directly to soups (in cold water) or drinks

Where can I buy this?

You can purchase blue dates from most Asian supermarkets prepackaged
You can also purchase this in bulk from speciality stores

What is the cost?

• A packge of around 30 dates cost $30 HKD
• There are varying prices of blue dates depending on its rarity and quality

Any benefits?

• Dates are known to assist in maintaining healthy blood pressure and assist the stomach and spleen in poor appetites
• It is also commonly used to address stress in drinks and teas
• Due to its sweetness, it is soothing to the throat and used to treat sore throats
• Dates are an excellent source of Vitamin C
• It is a neutral fruit

Any precautions?

• Be sure you are buying dates from a reputable source as some dates do carry diseases

Additional Information?

• Blue dates can normally be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for at least 6 months

Resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujube