Kenyans love sweets. It’s evident in the way there’s always a vendor or three strolling around bus stops, announcing their “Tropkos na P.K.” Our supermarket shelves are lined with cake, biscuits and other sugary treats we cannot resist. And even the small, mabati-clad kiosks near our homes stock up on goodies for the neighborhood. Though many of our desserts and sweets were introduced to us from the West, two delicious tidbits, halwa and kulfi, are the best-kept secret of coastal Kenya.
Halwa and kulfi share many of the same aspects: both were created in Asia and the Middle Easter and were adopted into Kenyan culture through barter trade in the 1500s. Both these desserts are old and well-established. Halwa and kulfi share in their complex nature since the ingredients which can be used for either recipe vary greatly. Anyone who knows how to prepare these desserts usually has their favorite specific mix. This is where similarities end, however.
Halwa is an important fixture for the coastal adherents to Islam who use it to re-energize during the fasting months. This dessert takes on two primary forms. The first and most common is the starch-based halwa that takes on a jelly-like appearance; this halwa incorporates a strachy paste into a rapidly boiling syrup. Then, right before the sugar sets into a harder state, a heaping pile of nuts are stirred in. When it finally cools down and hardens, the halwa has the appearance of stained glass, as well as depth of flavor and intense sweetness. As a custom, this halwa is served with kahawa tungu, Kenya’s iconic black coffee. The second kind of halwa has a more porridge-like form. The flour of semolina, which is a type of wheat, is cooked into a thick kind of pudding with cardamom-infused milk; once this tasty base has been created, pistachios and almonds are sprinkled all over the top. Kenyan Indians call this kind of halwa, siro.
Kulfi, on the other hand, provides relief in the humid and sometimes overwhelming heat of beach life. Along with helping people stay hydrated, the spices incorporated into this icy dessert are a pleasant deviation from the norm of frozen dairy. Whereas other ice-cream would have strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate flavoring, kulfi incorporates saffron and cardamom, rose and pistachio. And since it isn’t whipped like ice-cream, kulfi does not melt as easily, ensuring a lasting and enjoyable refreshment.
We hope that next time you take a trip to the coast, you can experience true Mombasa raha with halwa and kulfi.
