RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- It's a simple tradition, centuries old and honored by millions: a bite of date taken at sundown.

This Muslim ritual is said to have begun with the Prophet Muhammad around the seventh century. Today, it is often used to end the daily fast during Ramadan, Islam's holy month during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.

That tradition has transformed the date into a massive industry in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia alone, more than 21 million palm trees produce 884,000 tons of dates a year, making the kingdom one of the largest date producers.

Those dates are eaten fresh, dried and in any number of treats. Gourmet date shops sell date-filled chocolates, date mustard, date syrup and date bars.

Visit any home or office in the kingdom, and you invariably will see a small plate heaped with dates on a coffee table. The sweetness of the fruit balances the bitter taste of the cardamom-scented coffee served to guests in small cups.

Date baskets, containing different varieties of the fruit, date cookies and date juice, are common gifts. Dates are also featured in many desserts, where the fruit is the most prominent ingredient.

In Lebanon, the dates are turned into a paste that fills cookies served at the feast of Eid al-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan) and the Feast of Sacrifice, the most important Muslim holiday, which falls less than three months after Ramadan.

This year's Ramadan observance will begin at sunset Sunday, Aug. 31, and continue for 30 days until Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Mahyoosa (mah-YOU-sa)

These date paste cookies are from Sana Ahmed Khashoggi, a 52-year-old Saudi woman who, as a teen, learned the recipe from her grandmother. Khashoggi makes the cookies during Ramadan, as well as other family celebrations. They are a specialty of the western Hijaz region of Saudi Arabia.

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Makes 36 cookies

1 pound dates, pitted

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts (such as almonds and cashews)

In a food processor, combine the dates and 1 tablespoon of butter. Pulse until the fruit is well mashed and resembles a paste. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the ghee. As it melts, sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns light brown, about five minutes.

Add the cardamom and reserved date paste. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fully combined. Mix in the nuts.

Remove the pan from the heat, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Using your hands, pinch off 1-tablespoon pieces, and roll the mixture into balls. Place the balls in paper muffin cups.

In an airtight container, the cookies will keep several weeks.

(Recipe from Sana Ahmed Khashoggi of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

A red lentil soup perfect for Ramadan

Variations of this Middle Eastern lentil soup can be found throughout the Muslim world, where it often is used to break the fast during Ramadan. Traditional recipes call for dried limes, but lime juice is used in this easier version from Sarah al-Hamad’s forthcoming cookbook, “Cardamom and Lime.”

Shorbat 'adas (divine lentil soup)

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Servings: Six to eight

2-1/4 cups water

7 ounces dry red lentils

4 medium tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic puree (about two cloves)

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons tomato puree

2 vermicelli nests (1-3/4 ounces shredded vermicelli)

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil.

Meanwhile, place the lentils in a mesh strainer, and rinse under cool water until the water runs clear. Add the lentils to the boiling water, return to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until soft, about 15 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes, and simmer for another five minutes.

Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Return the saucepan to the burner. Add the oil, and heat over medium-high, then add the onions and lime juice. Sauté until the onions are golden brown, about five minutes.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric and cumin. Add the lentil puree, then stir well. Season with salt.

Add the tomato puree, and cook over medium heat until the mixture starts to bubble.

Add the vermicelli, and cook for three minutes. If desired, the soup can be thinned with water.

(Recipe from Sarah al-Hamad’s forthcoming “Cardamom and Lime,” Interlink Books, 2008)

Celebrating Ramadan

T&D Staff Report

The Islamic holiday of Ramadan is a time of introspection. Muslims believe that God revealed the Quran to Muhammad, the Muslim prophet, during this ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

The beginning of the month is calculated by the sighting of the new moon. The first observance begins with the first sunset after the new moon.

During the month of Ramadan, observant Muslims become contemplative, looking within to assess their relationships with fellow men and with God. Fasting is used during this month to overcome bodily needs, making the spirit free. It also reminds the more fortunate of the plight of the needy among them to bring charity into their hearts. Believers abstain from food, drink or tobacco from sunrise to sunset, and abstain from intimate relations. The beginning of the fast starts at dawn and ends at sunset, when a meal is enjoyed with family and friends.

Ramadan is a month-long observance that ends with Eid al Fitr, the celebration of breaking the fast. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The others are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving to the needy and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

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