Hais

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/desserts.html#1

Hais

al-Baghdadi p. 214/14 (GOOD)

Take fine dry bread, or biscuit, and grind up well. Take a ratl of this, and three quarters of a ratl of
fresh or preserved dates with the stones removed, together with three uqiya of ground almonds and
pistachios. Knead all together very well with the hands. Refine two uqiya of sesame-oil, and pour over,
working with the hand until it is mixed in. Make into cabobs, and dust with fine-ground sugar. If
desired, instead of sesame-oil use butter. This is excellent for travellers.

2 2/3 c bread crumbs
2 c (about one lb) pitted dates
1/3 c ground almonds
1/3 c ground pistachios
7 T melted butter or sesame oil
enough sugar
We usually mix dates, bread crumbs, and nuts in a food processor or blender. For "cabobs," roll into
one inch balls. Good as caravan food (or for taking to wars). They last forever if you do not eat them,
but you do so they don't.

I followed the directions but I used chopped dates instead of whole pitted dates because they cost less. I used somewhere between ¼ and ½ cup of sugar and continued to mix with the food processor. When I went to get the bread crumbs I found I only had about a ½ tsp. I started to panic and then I saw the Cheerios and realized that ground they would be like bread crumbs. Puffed rice would probably work too if wanting a gluten free version but you would need to use pitted dates because the chopped dates have oat flour and one or two additives. I added the un-toasted sesame oil but because the chopped dates are more dry and the mixture wasn't sticking together (the chopped dates are also not as sweet so the sugar might need adjusted too). I added water about 1 TBSP at a time while running the food processor until the mixture held together when pressed with the fingers. I then rolled the mix into balls about the size of chestnuts. I rolled the balls in sugar which was not exactly in the recipe but it was a nice addition. About 10 minutes after I made the balls I tasted one and the pistachio flavor was overwhelming but that was Friday, by Sunday the taste had mellowed out so they need made at least 24 hours ahead.