What sweets will you have this Eid?
Desserts are a favourite part of the celebration. Let’s indulge in an array of festive sweets — prepared from traditional recipes, with utmost love, and a lot of patience
t’s time to celebrate Eidal-Fitr — whether you’ve beeninvited to a family gathering or foran outing with friends, you’ll most likely be heading there with a box of confectionery, because whatis Eid withoutsweets, right? At home too, everyone will get busy making an endless supply of pleasurable homemade, sweet things. So, what sweets are you looking forward to enjoying the most this Eid?Will it be theEmirati speciality Luqaimat (gooey dumplings), a tower of the crunchy Turkish Baklava or a big pot of the warm, milky Indian delicacySeviyan? UAE is home to a diverse population of morethan 200 nationalities and there is an endless variety of treats to be devoured, as different communities come together to celebrate the festival and share recipesfrom their homeland. On Eid, everyone is encouraged to eat all things rich and creamy. Sweet shops across townoffer specialEid packaging loadedwith all types of colourful sweets. Especially in demand are stuffed dates, Arabic sweets, dry fruits, and a variety of chocolates. There is nothing that brings more happiness than unwrapping a box of sweets and sharing it around with your loved ones. Festive sweets are a workoflabour and patience.Think careful peeling and sifting of nuts, rolling outthe dough, preparing a sweet syrup, etc. Ask anyone what their favourite part of the Eid meal is and mostwill certainly say it’s the dessert. Everybody always saves a little space in anticipation of indulging in the sweet course. Here are a few of the popular treats. Luqaimat: These dumplings drizzledwith date molasses are widely regarded as the officialsweet of the UAE and are a must-have for the occasion. Logma (80056462) in BOXPARK offers the traditional dish. Here, you can also sample different flavours such as salted caramel, Oreo, and berries. Maa’moul: A popularsweet pastry in Lebanon, these buttery cookies are stuffed with date paste or chopped walnuts or pistachios, and dusted with powdered sugar. Sah El Nom (044231122) in Business Bay offers the decadent Maa’moul Bel Jeben thatissure to be a hit with the entire family. Seviyan: Indians, Pakistanis, andBangladeshis celebrate the occasion with sweet vermicelli noodles also known as Seviyan thatare either served dry or in amilk pudding. Toasting the noodles in butter until they smell nutty isa fragrance that evokesnostalgia in most homes. The flavour comes from cooking them in scented milk, and the nuts and dried fruitsprovide the dish with a crunch. People from these communities also enjoyother authentic sweets like Barfi and Gulab Jamun. All of these treats are available at Puranmal (044489561) shops located at various spots aroundtown. Baklava: ThisTurkish import isanother local favourite during the festival. The paper-thin layers of dough are filled with chopped nuts and is held together by honey. Also, it makes for an ideal gift. For the ultimate indulgence, opt for the luscious Pistachio Rosewater Baklava Cheesecake at Sugar Moo (043997371) in AlQu oz. Kunafa: A speciality of the Levant region, it is a vermicelli-based cheesy pastry that comes soaked in a sugar-based syrup and is an absolute treat for anyone with a sweet tooth. Firas Sweets (042638489) in Qusais is popular for serving a rich version of the dessert. Umm Ali: At the gastronomic core of any authentic sweet table lies thisdreamy treat, without which no celebratory meal is complete. A deliciously creamy, bread and butter pudding — it is a festive favourite. Reem Al Bawadi (043947444, across five locations in Dubai) serves this traditional sweet — here, it comes topped with coconut, almond, driedraisin, andpistachio.