Candy Dates Covered in Coconut

It is customary that when guests are in a person’s home in Sudan, that you provide them with something small and sweet to eat before a meal. More specifically, the custom is to walk around serving that treat to the guests in the room. Pictured is my aunt serving me her homemade date balls rolled in coconut shavings. The small treats are made from a kind of paste made from dates. She seasoned the firm paste and then coated the sweets with coconut. They tasted fresh and sweet, but not too heavy. Really excellent.