Dried Apricots

Dried apricots are apricots that have been dried, which gives them a chewy texture and a concentrated sweet, slightly tangy taste. They are commonly eaten on their own as a snack, mixed with nuts, or chopped into breakfast cereals, yogurt and baked goods. In Lebanese and Middle Eastern kitchens they are often added to rice dishes, meat stews and desserts, and they are a familiar part of Ramadan tables in drinks and compotes such as khoshaf. They can also be soaked in water to soften them before cooking. At Dekenet Al Nes in Baaqline, in the Chouf, dried apricots are sold by the kilo from the shop's bulk shelves. As a package-free grocery store, Dekenet Al Nes encourages customers to bring their own containers or bags and fill only the amount they need, helping cut down on plastic and single-use packaging.