PESHAWAR: Traditional homemade Ghunzakhe -- cookies -- despite being an oldest sweet made of mixture of natural ingredients including gur syrup, flour, nuts, semolina, eggs, cumin and anise is still popular in rural areas of Khyber Pakhunkhwa.

The traditional delicacy is made in Dir, Malakand, Shangla, Kohistan, Swat, Buner, Swabi, Mardan and Charasadda. It is considered a specialty of Yousafzai tribe both in Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but it enjoys equal fame among other Pakhtun tribes too.

It’s all only a woman’s hand’s skill. Since it is now available in local sweet markets, the way of its composition and mixture has undergone a great change.

Traditional cookies now available in local sweet markets

The recipe is quite simple, the natural ingredients are mixed and kneaded into gur or sugar syrup and made a mild paste after being punched on the back of small basket for creating a floral pattern or mosaic which then dipped into fried oil, kept just for a while and then a tasty and crispy Ghunzakhe is served on guests and friends.

Tariq Afghan, a resident of Dir, said that in old times, the parents of a newly wedded woman used to send along a package of delicious Ghunzakhe to her in-laws to strengthen her relations with the family.

He said that homemade sweet was also symbolic of keeping peace with in-laws. He said that paste of mixture of natural ingredients was dipped into ghee for a minute or two.

Rehana Wasim Yousafzai, a household woman in Peshawar, told this scribe that the ritual of exchange of Ghunzakhe was still practiced in remote villages and towns of KP.

She said that it was not limited only to wedded women but Ghunzakhe also shared as gift with other families and friends on different occasions.

“It’s very tasty besides it still carries an old cultural touch. I reminds me of my childhood when my sister-in-law would bring a tasty package of Ghunzakhe from her parents’ home on her return. My parents too did the same to me on my first visit after my marriage to my parent’s home. We need to keep up such lovely traditions,” said Ms Yousafzai.

Afsarul Mulk Afghan, a young Pashto poet from Shangla district, said that Pashto folklore also contained references to Ghunzakhe which meant the ritual of homemade delicacy may be centuries old.

He said that in one famous Pashto tappa a mother insists her married daughter to take along homemade sweets.

Mahwah Ali, a resident of Swabi settled in Peshawar, said that housewives loved to cook Ghunzakhe for offering it to guests. She said that traditional cookies cooked in natural ghee tastier than those cooked in oil. She said that Ghunzakhe could be enjoyed in all seasons but winter season added taste to it.

“Never a woman relative after a stay of few days can leave her host’s home without the gift of Ghunzakhe. A symbol of sweetening relationship of two families, Ghunzakhe is an undying tradition that shall continue to cement mutual ties towards a coherent Pakhtun society,” said Ms Ali.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2017