Dry anjeer is ready to eat, but a hard one needs a little water
Most people ask how to eat dry anjeer after opening a pack and finding the figs firm, a bit sticky and full of tiny seeds. You do not have to do anything clever. A good dry anjeer (dried fig) is chewy, sweet and safe to eat straight from the pack.
Soaking is for texture. A hard or old fig is easier to bite when it has taken on some water. It also suits milk, porridge and sweets.
This guide gives soaking times, a quick method for when you are in a hurry, and simple ways to serve figs. It also covers storage and what to look for when you buy. If you also buy almonds, see our range of Kashmiri dry fruits.
How long should you soak dry anjeer?
Soak dry anjeer in cold water for 4 to 8 hours, or overnight, until the fig is plump and soft to press. In warm water it takes 20 to 30 minutes. Thin, fresh, pliable figs need much less. Very hard, old figs need the longer soak.
No official body publishes a standard soaking time for dried figs. The numbers above are practical guidance from common home cooking practice, and they vary with the fig. A small, soft fig may be ready in an hour. A big, dense one can take the full night.
Here is a simple method for the overnight soak.
- Rinse the figs under running water for a few seconds.
- Put them in a bowl or glass jar. Use about twice as much water as figs.
- Cover the bowl and leave it on the counter. In the hot months, keep it in the fridge.
- After 4 to 8 hours, press one fig. If it gives easily, it is ready.
- Drain the water. Keep it if you like, since it tastes sweet and works in a smoothie or porridge.
Do not leave figs soaking for more than a day. Past that point they turn mushy, and in warm weather they can start to ferment. Soak what you will eat today.
How do you soften dried figs quickly?
Pour hot, not boiling, water over the figs and leave them for 15 to 30 minutes. For cooking, simmer them for 10 minutes in water, milk or tea. For one or two figs, steam them over a pan for five minutes.
Hot water speeds things up because the fig takes it in faster. Boiling water is too much, since it can leave the skin tough and the flavour flat. Take the kettle off the boil for a minute first.
If you plan to cook the figs anyway, skip the soak. Drop them into the pan with your milk, kheer or compote. They soften as the dish cooks.
A fig that is truly rock hard after a long soak is usually very old or has dried out badly. In that case, the problem is the fig, not your method. We say more about this below.
Do you eat the whole fig?
Yes. You eat the whole dried fig: skin, flesh and the tiny seeds. Only the hard stalk at the top is left out. The seeds are the crunch you feel when you bite. They are part of the fruit and are edible.
A fig is not like an ordinary fruit. Botanically it is a hollow, fleshy structure with many small flowers inside, and the seeds that line the inside are the tiny single-seeded fruits, as Wikipedia’s entry on the common fig describes. That is why you see so many seeds when you bite one.
Cut off the tough stalk with a knife or your nails. Then eat the rest. If a fig has a white, powdery film, that is usually sugar that has crystallised on the surface. If it looks fuzzy, grey or green, it is mould, so throw it away.
What are the best ways to eat anjeer?
Eat it plain as a snack, chop it into porridge or yogurt, simmer it in milk, or stuff it with a walnut. Soaked anjeer works best in milk, smoothies and chutney. Firm dry anjeer works best in trail mixes and baking.
Pick the method by the texture you want.
- Plain. Eat two or three firm figs with tea in the afternoon. This is the simplest way.
- In milk. Chop two figs, add them to a glass of warm milk and leave for five minutes. This is the familiar anjeer ka doodh.
- In porridge or oats. Slice soaked figs thin and stir them in at the end. They sweeten the bowl, so you can skip sugar.
- With nuts. Slit a soaked fig and fill it with a piece of akhrot (walnut) or a few badam (almond) slivers. Our guide to Kashmiri walnuts shows where good ones come from.
- In sweets. Blend soaked figs into a paste for laddoo, barfi or halwa. The fig supplies the sweetness, so you need less sugar.
- In a salad or chutney. Cut figs into small pieces and mix them with onion, yogurt or a little lemon.
Use fresh water, not an old soak, if you are adding figs to milk.
How many figs make a sensible serving?
A few figs make a sensible serving: two to four. USDA lists one dried fig at 8.4 g, so three figs weigh about 25 g. Dried figs are dense in sugar and energy, so keep them as a snack, not a bowlful.
USDA FoodData Central lists uncooked dried figs at 249 kcal per 100 g, with 9.8 g of fibre and about 48 g of total sugars. That is a good deal of fibre, and a good deal of sugar too. The numbers also show why portion size matters. Three figs of 8.4 g each give about 63 kcal.
The “two to four” range is our practical suggestion for everyday eating, not an official dose. Your own needs depend on your day. If you manage diabetes, or any other health condition, or you are giving figs to a small child, check with your doctor first.
Fibre rich foods can feel heavy if you add a lot at once. Begin with two figs and see how you feel.
How should you store anjeer after opening?
Keep anjeer in an airtight glass or steel jar in a cool, dry, dark cupboard. In humid or very hot weather, move the jar to the fridge. Always use a dry spoon. Moisture and heat are what spoil dried figs.
Dried figs are about 30 per cent water, per USDA FoodData Central, and they are sticky with sugar. That is why they attract ants, pantry moths and damp.
Follow these rules.
- Move the figs from the original pack into a clean, dry, airtight jar once opened.
- Keep the jar away from the stove, a sunny window and the steam of a kettle.
- In monsoon, or in a warm city kitchen, use the fridge. Let the jar come to room temperature before you open it, so that no water condenses on the figs.
- Never put wet figs back in the jar. If you soaked too many, eat them within a day.
- Look at the jar every week or so. Check for tiny holes, webbing, and any sour smell.
The same rules apply to almonds, only almonds go off in a different way: they turn rancid because of their oils. Our guide on how to store Mamra Badam explains that. If you also keep raisins, our post on kishmish and munakka covers them.
How do you tell good anjeer from bad when you buy?
Good anjeer is plump but not wet, even in colour, with a mild sweet smell and no sour or musty note. Avoid figs that are rock hard, shiny with oil or syrup, fuzzy, or full of holes and dust.
Check these things in the pack or at the shop.
- Smell. It should smell sweet and fruity, like a dried fruit. A sour, alcohol-like or musty smell means fermentation or damp.
- Feel. Press one. It should have some give. A fig that is hard as a pebble is old.
- Surface. A little white sugar bloom is fine. Fuzz, black spots and webbing are not.
- Colour. Natural dried figs are tan to brown. Be careful with figs that look unnaturally bright or glossy, and ask the seller what has been added.
- Size and sorting. A pack with a mix of tiny and large figs is usually not graded.
- Ingredients. On a packed product, the label should list figs only. Ask about added sugar, sulphur or preservatives if you want none.
This is general buying advice for any seller. It does not describe any one product.
Do dry anjeer and fresh figs differ?
Yes. Fresh figs are soft, perishable and eaten within days. Dried figs are chewy, much sweeter by weight, and keep far longer. Do not swap them one for one in a recipe, since drying removes water and concentrates the sugar.
Dried figs are made by sun-drying or oven-drying the ripe fruit, a process the Wikipedia article on the common fig describes. Once the water is gone, the same weight of fruit holds far more sugar and energy than a fresh fig.
That is why a handful of dried figs is plenty. It is also why soaked figs swell back to a larger size, yet remain sweeter than a fresh one. In a recipe, add dried figs a little at a time and taste as you go.
Frequently asked questions about eating dry anjeer
Should you soak anjeer overnight?
Not always. Soak overnight only if the figs are hard or you want them very soft for milk or porridge. A fresh, pliable fig can be eaten straight from the jar. For a quick option, use warm water for 20 to 30 minutes.
Overnight soaking is a habit in many Indian homes, but it is a preference. There is no rule that a fig must be soaked.
Can you eat dry anjeer every day?
You can eat a small portion of dry anjeer most days as part of a varied diet. Two to four figs is a sensible amount. Because dried figs are rich in sugar and energy, large daily portions are not needed.
If you have diabetes or another condition, or you take regular medicine, ask your doctor what suits you.
Can you eat anjeer on an empty stomach?
You can, if it suits you. There is no rule that bans it. Some people find a high-fibre fruit heavy first thing in the morning. If you do, eat it with milk or after breakfast.
Try a small portion first and notice how your body responds.
How long does soaked anjeer last?
Soaked anjeer is best eaten the same day. In the fridge, in a covered jar, it keeps for a day or two. Throw it away if it smells sour or feels slimy. Unsoaked figs last far longer.
Soaking adds water, and water is what lets spoilage start. That is why we suggest soaking only what you will use.
Is dry anjeer the same as Afghan anjeer?
Not exactly. Dry anjeer is the general name for any dried fig. Afghan anjeer is one origin. Other origins include Turkey and Iran. Taste and size vary by variety, climate and drying.
Afghanistan is among the top ten fig-producing countries, according to Wikipedia’s common fig entry. Look at the origin on the pack and ask the seller for it.
Start with a few good figs, and store them well
The best way to eat dry anjeer is the simplest one. Pick figs that are plump and smell sweet, soak only if they are firm, and eat a few at a time. Keep the jar dry and cool, and use clean spoons.
Valley Origin is a family business from Kashmir that has sourced dry fruits direct from growers since 1975, and origin matters to us in everything we sell. Our range changes over time, so see the current range of dry fruits for what is available now. To learn about the family and the valley behind it, read our story.
