Jujube (Chinese Date): Taste and Cooking Ideas

I had not come across this fruit before, although jujube has long been grown in our region.

It is called jujube, Chinese date, or ziziphus.

It did not strike me as especially ornamental, though jujube comes in many varieties. Perhaps I found an unremarkable one. 😁 Its fruits look a little like a cross between dates, olives, and rose hips.

To me, it tastes like a lightly dried apple (perhaps that is a feature of this variety).

A note on health claims

Jujube is often surrounded by dramatic claims. The comparison that it has “1,000 times more vitamin C than blackcurrants” and promises to treat hypertension, support weight loss, or “boost immunity” should not be taken as established facts. It is a fruit, not a medicine, and it does not replace prescribed treatment or advice from a clinician.

Cooking ideas

I am more interested in trying jujube as an everyday ingredient. It can be made into jam: blanch the fruit, cover it with syrup, let it stand, then simmer it. This is a sweet preserve, so the added sugar is worth keeping in mind.

Another simple idea is to grate the fruit, add water, simmer for about ten minutes, strain, and add sugar if desired. The drink can be enjoyed for its flavour, but it is not a treatment, and sugar changes its nutritional profile.

I have also seen recipes for pickled jujube with garlic, pepper, and other spices; the result is said to resemble pickled olives. Have you cooked with jujube? Share your tried-and-tested culinary ideas!