Anjeer Barfi (Dried Fig & Date Bars)
Homestyle anjeer barfi with dried figs, soft dates, raisins optional, and toasted nuts. No refined sugar, rolled flat between parchment and sliced.
Ingredients
For the fruit and spice base
- 3/4 cup dried figs anjeer; about 6 to 8 whole figs, depending on size; stems removed, chopped small
- 3/4 cup soft dates about 6 to 8 whole; medjool or kimia-style work well; pitted and chopped
- 2 tablespoons raisins optional
- 3 to 4 tablespoons water for soft figs in the pan; hard figs may need a hot-water soak first, see notes
- 1/8 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon or nutmeg optional
To finish
- 3/4 cup mixed nuts almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, any combo you like; chopped
- 1 teaspoon ghee or neutral cooking oil optional, if the mixture sticks to the pan
Instructions
Prep nuts and fruit
- Dry-roast chopped nuts in the pan until fragrant and crunchy, or toast whole nuts then pulse to coarse bits. Set aside to cool.
- If figs are soft, chop small. If hard, soak in hot water until pliable, drain, then chop.
- If dates are hard, soak briefly in hot water, drain, and chop. Soft dates can be chopped straight away.
Cook the binding mixture
- Add chopped figs to the same heavy pan with 3 to 4 tablespoons water. Cook on low heat, stirring, until the figs turn very soft and mushy.
- Add dates, raisins if using, cardamom, and cinnamon or nutmeg if using. Cook, stirring, until everything is mushy, sticky, and thick, not watery. Time depends on how moist your fruit is.
- If the mixture begins to catch, add the optional teaspoon of ghee or oil and keep heat low. The mass should feel hot, thick, and fairly dry, not soggy, or the barfi will stay sticky when cut.
Finish and roll
- Stir in toasted nuts. Keep cooking briefly if the mix still looks wet; it should look firm when you stir. If it looks soggy after nuts, cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring.
- Turn out onto butter paper or parchment. Cover with a second sheet and roll gently with a rolling pin into an even rectangle or square (not too thin if you want thicker chew).
- Cool completely before slicing into squares or diamonds.
Notes
Same-day eating: room temperature is fine in cool weather. Otherwise refrigerate and finish within about one week for best texture.
Without dates: use more figs and/or raisins; sweetness and texture will shift. Taste as you go.
Optional add-ins: dried coconut, sunflower or melon seeds, sesame, or roasted peanuts. Keep total dry crunch in line with the 3/4 cup nuts so the slab binds.
Without dates: use more figs and/or raisins; sweetness and texture will shift. Taste as you go.
Optional add-ins: dried coconut, sunflower or melon seeds, sesame, or roasted peanuts. Keep total dry crunch in line with the 3/4 cup nuts so the slab binds.
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