Ginger and Dates Tea
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
This is a subtle and sweet tea that pairs well with desserts and is just as good chilled as it is warm.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) of water
- 5 pitted dates, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fennel powder
Instructions
- Bring everything to boil in a deep pot.
- Cook till the quantity is down to 2 cups.
- Strain & serve immediately with a tsp of milk
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 60
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use fresh ginger, or will dried work?
Fresh ginger is worth it here. You only need a teaspoon, and it gives the tea a bright, almost citrusy heat that dried ginger just does not replicate. Dried ginger powder tends to taste flat next to the dates. Grate it on a microplane or the fine side of a box grater and add it directly to the pot with everything else before you bring it to a boil.
Why do I cook it down to 2 cups? Can I skip that step?
The reduction is where the flavor comes from. You start with 2.5 cups of water and cook it down to 2 cups, which concentrates the sweetness from the 5 chopped dates and lets the cinnamon and fennel powder bloom properly. Skipping it gives you a thin, watery tea. Keep the heat at a steady simmer and it will reduce in about 5 minutes. 
What does the fennel powder do, and can I leave it out?
The quarter teaspoon of fennel powder gives the tea a subtle anise note that rounds out the ginger heat and the sweetness of the dates. It is quiet in the background, but the tea tastes a little flat without it. If you do not have fennel powder, a small pinch of cardamom or a single star anise simmered with everything else gets you close. Strain well either way before serving.
Hi Dean, I used regular pitted dates. I have never tried jujubes, but I believe they come from a different fruit altogether and hence the interesting flavor. Using medjool or a variety of pitted dates should do the trick. Hope this helps!
Hello!
What kind of dates did you use? I tried to make this today with black dried dates (jujubes), but I got very… interesting results. I think the “dates” added a smoky/savory/medicinal flavor to the tea. (A little honey made it more palatable though. Haha!) Could I use dried red jujubes? Or should I use real dates like medjool?
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’m looking forward to making it a second time!
The recipe is missing 1/2 teaspoon black tea leaves. Pls add. thanks