Dried Black Mulberries (Toot Siah)

Sun-dried black mulberries with a deep, jammy sweetness and a fig-like richness behind it. Darker and more complex than the pale white mulberries most stores carry, with a gentle tartness that keeps them from tasting sugary. The texture is soft and chewy rather than crisp, with tiny seeds that give a slight crunch.

Nothing is added. The sweetness is entirely the fruit, concentrated by drying, which is why they read as dessert without behaving like candy.

How to enjoy them

Eat them by the handful, or scatter over yogurt, porridge and granola. They belong in a bowl with walnuts, almonds and pistachios, which is exactly how they are served across Afghanistan and Central Asia. Bake them into muffins, breads and energy bars in place of raisins, blend into smoothies, or steep a spoonful in hot water for a naturally sweet infusion.

How to use it

Eat them as they are with tea and nuts, or scatter a handful over porridge, yoghurt and grain salads. Soak them in warm water or tea for fifteen minutes to plump them before folding into a cake batter or a rice pudding, and use the soaking liquid too. Sealed in a cool dry cupboard they hold for six to twelve months, and the fridge suits them in a warm kitchen. Technique tip: if they have gone firm in the jar, steam them over simmering water for two minutes rather than soaking, which softens them without washing out the jammy sweetness.

Details

Also known as

Dried black mulberries, toot siah, tut siyah, karadut kurusu
Persian: توت سیاه خشک | Arabic: توت أسود مجفف | Turkish: Karadut Kurusu | Chinese: 黑桑葚 | Hindi: काले शहतूत | French: Mûres Noires Séchées | Spanish: Moras Negras Secas | German: Getrocknete Schwarze Maulbeeren