India, Aug. 26 -- Traditionally eaten whole, the date is having its culinary moment this Eid-ul-Milad-un-Nabi, celebrating the Prophet's birthday. Chefs and home cooks are looking at the fruit through a contemporary lens, from Indo-Arabic fusion and French-inspired pastries to artisanal frozen treats.

Mumbai-based home Chef Abida Rizvi shares, "Earlier, dates were mostly chopped into halwas or rolled into laddoos. Today, it's the hero of the plate." Her stuffed dates, filled with rich khoya, pistachios, cardamom, and honey drizzle, turn the date into a sophisticated party appetiser.The Modern Bakery Glow-Up

For Chef Shavez Ahmad, Faculty of Culinary Arts at the Institute of Hotel Management, Lucknow, the fruit offers endless possibiliti...