Today's Edition
RAJEEV CHERIAN (ABU DHABI)
Ma'amoul, a soft cookie that has been synonymous with Eid celebrations for hundreds of years, is making the rounds these days as friends and families come together for the holiday.
For many, no other delicacy could remind of the distinctive sweetness of Eid Al-Fitr than ma'amoul.
Amid the festivities, pastry shops are among the busiest stores in Abu Dhabi and many customers come in specifically for ma'amoul, Aletihad has learnt.
"Offering mamoul is a way of saying Eid Mubarak," said Wardh, a Syrian expat who works at a sweets shop in the emirate.
"We are seeing an increase in demand for mamoul, especially during the first day of Eid. We have already filled our stocks three times so far," he told Aletihad.
Made of semolina dough, the iconic treat is stuffed with date paste, pistachio, or walnut fillings, and usually baked in round, dome shapes. It is dusted with powdered sugar before serving.
Christians in the region love ma'amoul, too, and it is often served and gifted during Easter.
Beyond traditions, this Eid cookie has become a source of income for many women-led households in Jordan, Syria, and Palestinian territories.
History of This Delicacy
There are indications that ma'amoul originated in ancient Babylon and it has always been a sweet delivered during religious festivities, according to Dr. Paulina Lewicka, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Warsaw.
Later on, ma'amoul also became part of Christian festivities and it was associated with Lent.
"Ma'amoul continued to be a very popular dish during Islamic time and a type of ma'amoul called Karabij became a trademark for the Greater Syria [modern day Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan]. This type of ma'amoul contains pistachios and dates, and it's wrapped in a date syrup-coated dough," Lewicka told Aletihad.
"The cookie embodied the spirit of Easter and Eid celebrations and it's one of Ramadan dishes," she added.
For Zeid Al Sharif, a Jordanian expat in Abu Dhabi, ma'amoul "gives us a sense of our world from just the taste of dates."
"Dates have always been a traditional part of our culture, and this sweet connects us to it," Sharif said.
"In my family, my mum always makes it herself - she doesn't buy it - like so many other families in Jordan. It makes me feel happy to mark Eid with such a nice treat and it connects me to all others who are doing the same."
