Sufra Dayma:

Date "Agwa" Pudding

By Moushira Abdel-Malek

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Ingredients:

500gms pressed dates "agwa" (chopped)
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
3/4 cup water
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 packets vanilla
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
90gms butter

Method:

Grease aluminium pudding mould (two litre capacity). Combine dates, butter, sugar and water in a pan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for five minutes. Cool to room temperature. Stir eggs and vanilla into mixture then stir in sifted dry ingredients and milk, in two batches. Spoon mixture into prepared mould. Cover with greased foil. Secure with a tight lid. Place mould in a large pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the mould. Cover pan and leave to cook (approx. two and a half hours). Replenish water when necessary. Serve pudding warm with custard, cream or vanilla ice-cream.