dried jujubes
The dried red fruit of the jujube tree, also called Chinese dates, mildly sweet with a faintly apple-like note and spongy flesh around a hard stone.
Dried jujubes are the fruit of the jujube tree, which develop a wrinkled, reddish-brown skin as they dry; in Korea they are called daechu. They taste mildly sweet and gently fruity, much less sweet than true dates, and their flesh is dry and spongy. Only when soaked or simmered do they soften and lend their gentle sweetness to soups, teas, rice dishes and sweet rice cakes. The hard stone is usually left in, or cut away beforehand when the fruit is sliced into strips as a garnish. They are sold in Asian grocery shops, especially Chinese and Korean ones, occasionally in Turkish supermarkets, and by mail order; good ones are plump, glossy and not rock-hard, and kept airtight they last a long time.
Substitute:
There is no good substitute. True dates are far sweeter and fall apart when cooked, noticeably changing a soup; in savoury broths it is better to simply leave the jujubes out, which costs only a little mild sweetness. In sweet dishes a few chopped dates can be used sparingly in a pinch, but expect more sweetness and a softer texture.