A Dessert-Lover’s Paradise
Palestine is a dessert-lovers paradise. Walking down the high street in Hebron, in under ten minutes you can walk past over ten separate establishments that exclusively sell sweet treats. There are incredible gelatos, cakes, pastries and sweet drinks to sample in each of them. Exquisite cinnamon rolls, muffins and all kinds of creations featuring pistachio nuts, including doughnuts, mousses and gateaux – are available for your tasting pleasure. Perhaps sampled alongside a strong bitter Turkish coffee, or lighter brewed tea.
The Best Dessert: Knafeh
However, though all the desserts here are delicious, in my humble opinion, the very best of the desserts available in this vibrant and busy city, is Knafeh – which can also be spelt Kunafeh, Kunafa, Kanafeh, Konafi, Kunaftah, Künefe or Kinafa depending on where you are and what language you speak. The original, and best Knafeh though, is Knafeh Nabulseyeh.
Origins and Main Ingredients
Though Knafeh originated in the city of Nablus, it can be found throughout Palestine and over the border in Jordan. Its main ingredient is Nabulsi cheese. If you are used to eating western cheeses, the cheese in knafeh is probably best described as a cross between halloumi (it’s squeaky and holds its shape) and mozzarella (it’s stretchy and light). On top of the cheese there is spun dough.
Types of Knafeh
There are two popular types of Knafeh: Na’ameh, which is made with ground semolina dough called farkeh, this is sometimes referred to as ‘soft’ because the topping has a texture similar to a crumble, and Khishneh, which is made with shredded filo dough called kataifi, sometimes referred to as ‘hard’ because the strands of dough offer a little bit more crunch. Both are served with sweet syrup.
Preparation and Garnishing
The knafeh pastry is heated in butter, ghee, margarine, palm oil, or traditional semneh, spread with Nabulsi cheese, and topped with additional pastry. In khishnah knafeh, the cheese is rolled in the pastry. During the final minutes of cooking, thick sweet sugar syrup, water, and a few drops of rose water or orange blossom water are poured on the pastry. The top layer of pastry is sometimes tinted red or orange. Additional garnishes can include crushed pistachios sprinkled on top, rose petals or eshta – a type of clotted cream.
Regional Variations
Knafeh reaches well beyond the confines of Palestinian borders, but it is definitely best eaten here in its cultural home. However, even within the country there are regional differences in how knafeh is made and served, for example Knafeh Ghazawiya is a Palestinian variant of knafeh unique to the Gaza Strip. It is made with a variety of Gazan nuts and spices, with nutmeg and cinnamon replacing the cheese. There are lots of options to try – and I recommend trying them all.
Knafeh in Hebron: A Social Experience
Knafeh is usually served warm from giant silver pans that are in evidence in all types of cafes all over Hebron. I am writing this blog having been in Hebron for just over a week, and I have already had knafeh 6 times! I can’t get enough. It’s satisfying, filling, sweet, decadent, but perhaps most importantly, it’s social. Even if you’re ordering just for yourself, you will almost certainly find yourself in a queue in the café (everyone loves knafeh), giving you time to brush up on your Arabic skills (‘baheb knafeh’ is a great place to start) and talk about what is happening in the city. You might go with friends – if you meet with someone who lives here or has been here longer than you, you can see what they recommend, and as you stay here longer, add your own recommendations to the list.
The Culture of Social Eating in Palestine
One of my favourite things about Hebron, and Palestine more broadly, is the social eating – sharing food is built into the country’s cultural DNA, whether it be a casual bite outside a café after work or inviting/being invited into people’s houses for dinner. Again, in the short time I have been here, I have already been invited into people’s homes to share dinner and conversation, been spontaneously invited in for tea (and invariably something sweet to eat with it) and invited to a collection of eateries in the company of new friends. This is in addition to the coffee and tea that is so often offered to you while perusing a shop or visiting an organisation.
Knafeh as a Symbol of Palestine
For me, Knafeh represents the Palestine I have experienced, rather than the Palestine I expected before I visited, informed by inaccurate media representations and my own ignorance. It is sweet, heavy and so much more than a dessert. It’s culture, it’s friendship, it’s history, it’s love. Knafeh is something joyful in the face of oppression, it’s decadence in a place of enforced hardship and it’s social connection in an environment defined by separation, segregation and occupation. In this respect, Knafeh is resistance – and it tastes like freedom.
Where to Find the Best Knafeh in Hebron
Now, as you have made it all the way through this blog – I have a recommendation for you. I suggest that you go to Al Sahel Al Akdhar Sweet on Ain Sarah. Go there with a full wallet and an empty stomach – you will have no regrets.
