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Areeka with Dates and Bread: A Qassim Classic, Lightened

By the Healthy Plate team

Date Areeka

Areeka is a traditional dish from Qassim: crumbled bread with dates and ghee. It's filling energy food, and the healthy tweaks are less ghee and wholemeal bread.

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How we lighten it

  • Wholemeal or barley bread instead of white
  • One spoon of ghee instead of a generous amount
  • Soft dates as the only sweetener
  • Serve with laban or yogurt

Date Areeka

10 minPrep
5 minCook
4Servings
320kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 small wholemeal flatbreads
  • 10 pitted dates
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • Pinch of cardamom and cinnamon

Method

  1. Tear the bread into small pieces.
  2. Mash the dates with the warm water into a paste.
  3. Mix dates with bread and ghee over low heat for 3 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle with cardamom and cinnamon and serve warm with laban.
Soft Sukkari datesAffiliate link — costs you nothing extra and supports the blog
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Tip

The softer the dates, the less water and ghee you need.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is areeka?

A traditional Qassim dish of crumbled bread with dates and ghee, eaten for breakfast or supper.

Is it suitable for diabetics?

It's rich in dates and starch, so keep portions small and check with your doctor or dietitian.

⚠️ For general education only. If you have a health condition or allergy, consult your doctor.