5-Minute Dates Paan (Khajur Paan) – 100% Natural

Hand holding a single stuffed date paan against a background of a brass plate with dates paan and dried rose buds

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5-Minute Dates Paan (Khajur Paan) – 100% Natural

5-minute Dates Paan with 100% natural ingredients that tastes just like Meetha Paan! Perfect sweet treat finale to a satisfying Indian meal.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian, Indian Fusion

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: Pieces

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Aneesha Gupta

Ingredients

10 pitted Medjool dates
4 large betel leaves
1½ tablespoon gulkand (rose jam)
2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 tablespoon mukhwas (natural mouth freshner)
2 tablesoon dried paan mix (mix of dried dates and rose)
½ teaspoon cardamom powder

For Rinsing Betel Leaves)

1 cup chilled water
2 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions

Clean and dry betel leaves: Dip the paan leaves in a bowl of cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. Soak them for a minute, rinse under fresh water, and pat them completely dry. Cut off the thick central stem.
Prepare paan filling: In a small food processor, add the hand-torn paan leaves, gulkand, mukhwas, dried paan mix, fennel, and cardamom powder. Pulse 5-7 times until the ingredients are well incorporated but still coarse. Note: Do not over-process! You want a semi-fine consistency with some texture, not a smooth paste.
Prep the dates: I use pitted dates for convenience. If using dates with pits, slice the dates lengthwise to create a pocket. Remove the pit and gently widen the cavity.
Stuff and serve: Take about 1 teaspoon of the paan mixture and press it firmly into the center of each date. Your Dates paan is ready to enjoy!

Video

Notes

The Leaf Choice: If you can find "Banarasi" or "Maghai" paan leaves at your local Indian grocery store, use them! They are thinner and more delicate in flavor.
Texture Check: If the mix feels too wet, add a few more fennel seeds. If it's too dry, add some more gulkand.
Gulkand: If you can't find gulkand, no problem. Roughly chop 2-3 soft dates and add them to the blender along with the other ingredients.
Pulse, not blend: Don't blend or over-process the ingredients. We want a semi-fine consistency, not a smooth paste.

Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates and have been manually entered for gulkand, mukhwas, and dried paan mix based on the available product labels. If you follow any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition