Both of India’s power centres combined only have a handful establishments dedicated to Middle Eastern sweets, yet they have much to offer during Ramzan. Pooja Bhula and Heena Khandelwal give you a glimpse
Holy dates and gourmet treats
During the month of fasting ajwa dates are bestsellers at Bateel, the first store of Arabian origin to bring gourmet-dates to India, in 2004. Grown only in the sacred city of Madina, these not- so-sweet dates are revered as they also find mention in the Quran.
Other plain dates sourced from Saudi Arabia that are available all year round, include the sweet, dark brown khidris; caramel-like creamy, light coloured kholas; sokaris that hard on the outside and soft inside; and the not-so-sweet dual-toned sekai. You can have the dates stuffed too, in flavours of orange, lemon, almond, caramelised pecan nuts, caramelised almond and roasted almond. Or moulded into hazelnut and almond chocolates as well as a variety of nutty and spiced tarts, biscuits and rolls.
Where: Bateel, Nariman Point, Mumbai
Flavours of Arabia
The familiarity with nut- and dried fruit-based sweets often makes them uncool for West-inspired youth. Knowing this fully well, for Ramzan, owner of Levantine Gourmet, Suraj Mordani (24), who is not-too-old himself is putting out stuffed dates in flavours of Belgian biscoff, and chocolate and caramel praline. These are in addition to the regular offerings of lemon, orange, paan, pistachio, almonds and strawberry. Plain ones on offer are khodri, sagai, medjool, ajwa from Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Opened last year, Mumbai’s first Turkish desserts store has five types of baklava (imported from Dubai) in cashew and pistachio flavours and the Iranian nougat gaz. But for Eid, Mordani will be plating out freshly made kunafa, the heart-melting roll of cheese, coated with fried vermicelli. Served hot, it's the most comforting sweet treat. To spoil you for choice, they also serve fruit bars, French crepe chocolates in pistachio, almond and hazelnut; and cookies with walnuts, dates and sesame.
Need some salt and spice? How about cashews and almonds in flavours of saffron, chocolate, peri peri, pudina, tikka, rose, lychee and barbeque.
Where: Levantine Gourmet, Bandra, Mumbai
Not just Kunafa
If you want kunafa through the year, go its namesake store in Delhi. The quaint Arabic confectionary, named after the cheese pastry, was started seven years ago by Jordanian businessman Naser Barakat and his Indian partner Nikhil Anand. It has no fixed menu; not even for Ramzan. Their Syrian chef changes it daily. Besides the signature dessert, Kunafa has delicious baklavas; semilona-based cake babousa that’s like halwa and possibly the sweetest dessert in the house; ma'amoul cookies crusted with walnut, pistachio and Jericho dates; and the corn starch and honey-based Turkish delights. These sweets are available in many variants and rotated twice a week; except for the staple pista and almond baklavas. The menu also has Jericho dates from Palestine, sun-dried figs from Turkey and honey from Jordan. Teas and coffees from Palestine and Turkey are served in traditional pots. Popular as corporate and wedding gifts, Kunafa's desserts are loved by those working with embassies of Arab countries too.
Where: Kunafa, Meherchand Market, New Delhi
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