The history of beloved Ramadan sweets
Ramadan is on our doorsteps to grace us with good health and spiritual blessings. Along with it comes the gratified anticipation of beloved post-iftar treats.
Behind the sumptuous desserts that punctuate the holy month and that shaped the childhood memories of many followers, lies a storied history. The origins and backstories of each have much to do with the fact that the Arab world has been a melting pot for ages – a crossroads for civilisations, cultures and cuisines – all down to its strategic location connecting East and West, and influenced by empires such as the Romans, Persians and Ottomans.
All this is woven into the rich foodscape that exists today, and extends to the Middle East’s classic Ramadan’s treats
Umm Ali
Umm Ali – meaning “mother of Ali” – originated in Egypt. Think of it as a Middle Eastern bread and butter pudding with a history that dates back to the dynasty of the Mamluk sultans. The story goes that Shagaret El Dorr, queen of Egypt in the 1200s and wife of ruler Ezz ElDin Aybek, ordered the death of her husband.
To seek revenge, Aybek’s other wife, Umm Ali, successfully carried out Shagaret’s assassination. To celebrate her rival’s death, Umm Ali requested her cooks to create the most delicious dessert and distribute it throughout Egypt.
This dessert is traditionally made of a filo-like pastry, milk, butter, cream and sugar, topped with nuts, raisins and coconut flakes. It has spread to the Arab world with minor variations, such as the addition of orange blossom or rose water.
Basbousa
A simple semolina cake drenched in sugar syrup, this can be served plain, topped with nuts, or qashta (clotted cream), and is the epitome of comfort desserts. In some regions, coconut and saffron are added, and the sugar syrup is infused with rose water.
The taste and texture are akin to a vanilla cake that is crusty on the outside and spongy within. Basbousa is traditionally baked in large round trays, cut into squares or diamonds, and served in the same tray.
Its origins go back to the revani of Turkish cuisine, a classic cake from the Ottoman Empire. The Arabic name stems from the verb “bas”, meaning blend, as basbousa is prepared by blending the semolina flour with margarine. Basbousa is also known as harissah or namoura.
Kunafah
Sweet, rich, crunchy and creamy, kunafeh, kunafah or knafeh has it all. A mouthwatering and hearty dessert, kunafah’s origins are purely Arabic, and not Turkish as many think.
It was first served in Ramadan during the Umayyad dynasty when the Caliph Muawiyah ordered his cook to prepare a rich dish to help him endure the fast.
Kunafah is made of thin, noodle-like dough, with a filling of either stretchy cheese such as Nabulsi, clotted cream, or just toasted nuts and raisins. The top and bottom are crunchy on the outside thanks to pan-frying or baking. Like typical Middle Eastern desserts, it is finished with a generous pour of sugar syrup.
The process of making kunafah noodles is almost hypnotic. The kanafani – person who prepares kunafah – towers over a circular hot stove with a shower-head-like tool seeping with runny dough, skilfully drawing circular continuous spirals that are transformed instantly to hair-like noodles.
Luqaimat
Luqaimat is an Emirati dessert that translates as “small bites”. The airy golden dumplings are made of a saffron and cardamom-infused batter, deep-fried, then smothered in date syrup, and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Luqaimat has many versions, and names that have spread across neighbouring countries, of which the Greek loukoumades are believed to be the oldest. Egypt has louqmet el qadi, which is coated with icing sugar after frying.