Kabak Tatlısı, Turkish Squash in Date Syrup
Kabak tatlısı is the classic Turkish autumn dessert of winter squash cooked slow until it turns translucent and jammy, served cold under a slick of tahini and a handful of walnuts. The usual recipe buries the squash in white sugar overnight, and this one poaches it instead in a syrup blended from whole dates, spiced with Ceylon cinnamon and a couple of cloves. The important technique is patience and a still pan: simmered gently and left undisturbed, the slabs go glassy and hold together. Let it cool fully before the tahini and walnuts go on, since their bitterness is what balances the sweet.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Butternut squash, peeled and cut into thick 1-inch slabs
- 6 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 stick Ceylon cinnamon
- 2 wholes Cloves
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/3 cup Walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 tbsp Tahini
Method
- Blend the pitted dates with one and a half cups (360 ml) of water until smooth. This date syrup replaces the heavy sugar bath of the original: blended dates give the same clinging sweetness plus body, so the squash poaches in flavor rather than plain sugar water.
- Lay the squash slabs in a single snug layer in a wide pan, tuck in the cinnamon stick and cloves, and pour the date syrup over. It should come about halfway up the squash. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the squash is meltingly soft and the flesh turns translucent, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Do not stir once it is simmering. Turkish kabak tatlısı is prized for slices that hold their shape and go glassy, and stirring breaks the soft squash apart. Instead, spoon syrup over the tops now and then and, if you like, turn the slabs once, gently, halfway through.
- Lift the squash onto a plate and reduce the leftover syrup over higher heat until it is thick and glossy, then stir in the lemon juice and pour it over. The acid keeps the sweetness from turning cloying. Cool to room temperature, then drizzle with tahini and scatter the walnuts. The bitter, savory tahini is the traditional counterweight that keeps this dessert from being one-note.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 190 calories, 4 g protein, 5 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
