Madluk dates are prepared traditionally from dates that have been cleaned and sorted to remove impurities. Good-quality ripe dates that still retain some softness are selected, often from particular varieties known for their quality despite exposure to the sun. The stones are removed and the dates collected together. Young children would be asked to wash their feet thoroughly and then tread on the dates until they became a soft, homogeneous mass. Flavourings such as sanut or fennel were sometimes added during preparation. The mixture was then tightly sealed and stored in suitable containers such as bib, khasaf or yarab for later use. Madluk dates are a traditional food reflecting the simplicity of earlier life and reliance on manual methods of preparing and storing food.