Jenis2 Kurma is how many Malaysians type "jenis-jenis kurma" into a search bar, and the list it brings up is long. For anyone ordering online, though, one question decides most of the outcome: is the date soft and moist, or semi-dry? Moisture decides how a date travels in a courier van, how long it keeps once it arrives, and how much the photo can tell you. So this guide sorts the common varieties that way first, then answers whether buying online makes sense for each group.
Soft, moist dates
These are the dates that feel tender when you press them.
Mariami comes from Iran. It is reddish-brown with finely wrinkled skin, soft flesh and a moderate sweetness, and it is one of the most common everyday dates in Malaysian homes. Safawi and Ajwa both come from the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. Safawi is near-black, smooth-skinned and thick-fleshed; Ajwa is smaller, with wrinkled skin and a milder, more aromatic sweetness. If Safawi interests you, our notes on what Kurma Safawi tastes like go further. Medjool, from Palestine and Jordan, is the large one, and this piece on Medjool texture and ripeness covers how it changes as it ages.
Mazafati from southeast Iran (Bam and the surrounding area) is the wettest of the group. Its moisture runs roughly 15% to 35% depending on when and where it was picked, and it is normally kept chilled or frozen.
Semi-dry dates
Deglet Noor is the one most Malaysians know here. It comes from Tunisia and is often sold still on the stalk as kurma tangkai. The fruit is a clear, translucent gold with a light sweetness and a semi-dry, chewy texture. It is not hard and not dusty-dry. It simply has less moisture than Mariami or Safawi, so it holds its shape. Piarom from southern Iran is another semi-dry date. Zahedi, a light-brown Iranian date, sits at the drier end and is mainly an export variety.
There is a seasonal pattern to kurma tangkai too. Demand spikes before Ramadan, which our post on the Ramadan rush for kurma tangkai looks at.
So, should you buy dates online?
For semi-dry dates, yes, with little worry. Deglet Noor and Piarom handle a few days in transit well, and what you see in a decent photo is close to what arrives.
For soft dates it depends on the packing. Mariami, Safawi and Ajwa are fine by courier if they come in a sealed tub or a vacuum pack. In a thin plastic bag they can get crushed or dry out at the edges. Mazafati is the hard case. Because it is normally kept chilled, ask the seller how they ship it before you pay.
There are numerous types of dates to choose from, and online shops make it easy to compare several of them in one sitting, which no single kedai can match. When purchasing dates online, read what earlier buyers said about freshness and packing, not just the star rating.
What to ask the seller
- Which variety and grade is this, exactly? "Kurma premium" is not a variety.
- How is it packed, and is a soft variety sealed?
- When was this batch packed?
- What happens if it arrives crushed or dried out?
A seller who answers these plainly is usually the one who will send fresh and high-quality dates. If you are buying a carton rather than a kilo, our guide to buying Ajwa in bulk covers the extra checks for larger orders.
Once the box arrives
Open it on the day. Move the soft dates into airtight containers and put any you will not finish within a couple of weeks into the fridge. Mazafati goes straight into the fridge or freezer. Deglet Noor is happy in a closed container somewhere cool and dry. Keep each variety in its own container so each one stays at its own texture.