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SWEET-LOVING Majida Naseer is offering the kingdom a taste of traditional Tunisian treats this Ramadan.
Hailing from its capital Tunis, Majida has had more than 30 years experience of cooking quintessential Tunisian delicacies for her family and friends … and now it’s Bahrain’s turn to sample the authentic mixes.
She recently teamed up with a friend to start up a home business, Delices De Tunis, after tasting a selection of fare in the kingdom which she did not consider best represented her country’s fine food.
She explained: “They claimed to be Tunisian sweets but in my opinion were nothing like it. Tunisian sweets are so beautiful and artistic in design. You can’t just mix everything and say it is Tunisian - it has to have the right taste and look.
“I guess you can call it a patriotic reaction because I was disappointed by the misrepresentation of our desserts. That’s when we decided we must start our own business to show people what real Tunisian sweets taste like.
“You must understand the sweets and food are our pride. People come from all over the world to try them out. We hunted down a great sweet provider from Tunis and were blessed with a very delicious product to promote.”
Delices De Tunis supplies hand-made customary sweets such as hazelnut balls and almonds, which are imported, alongside a variety of dishes that Majida conjures up herself such as couscous and tajine.
Majida is now hoping to expand the business into a unique Tunisian-style café. Her style of cooking is Tunisous, not to be confused with Tunisian. Different areas throughout the country boast individual ways of cooking, using a range of different ingredients.
“Culinary science is something that really flourishes in Tunisia. There is no housewife in my country that doesn’t know how to cook. A lot of men cook too and we pride ourselves on that. Cooking is part of our culture,” said Majida. “In Tunis if you are sitting … you are eating.”
Like all countries in the Mediterranean basin, Tunisia offers a ‘sun cuisine’ based mainly on olive oil, spices, tomatoes, seafood and meat, primarily lamb. There is also a wide selection of pastry and nutty treats such as pistachio, honey and almonds to choose from.
Since the launch of Delices, Majida has received numerous requests from expats and locals alike who fancy a taste of her delicious desserts and home-style cooking. She says that her tiny desserts are ideal for a range of ceremonies such as weddings and baby showers and social events during Ramadan and Eid.
Majida explained: “The desserts are purely and uniquely made out of nuts. It is especially good for Ramadan. You can have three pieces during suhoor (the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting) and not feel hungry throughout the day. It is filling because it has a lot of essential oils in it.”
She is also preparing her own Tunisian dessert for Ramadan known as Makroud, small semolina cakes stuffed with dates, hazelnuts, or almonds, deep fried in oil and drizzled with honey or sugar syrup.
Prices of the desserts vary. For details contact Majida on 33177005 or visit her Facebook page Delice De Tunis.
