Hameedi Confectioners: A 19th Century Turkish Sweet Shop

It would be shocking if you haven't heard of Hameedi, a 19th Century Turkish sweet shop famous for its jaw-dropping, mouth-watering Jouzi Halwa. Let’s dig in to know more about it.

Hameedi Confectioners (Source: The Hindu)

Every corner of Hyderabad's Old Town has stories to tell. The food here is rich in history, tradition and full of surprises. Many shops have a history of at least half a century. They may have hidden, word-down signages, but their food offerings are second to none. Hameedi Confectionery, too, is one of them. A tiny candy store overlooking the majestic Mozzam Jahi Market, it could easily go unnoticed if it weren't for the Hameedi Confectioners sign.

The shop first began as a mere stall when a 15-year-old Turkish boy, Muhammed Hussain, started selling sweets in 1913. His signature dish, Jouzi Halwa, was so popular with the people that Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII heard about it and gave his shop a try. He loved this Halwa so much that he sent Hussain a letter with the royal seal, praising the sweets. This letter is still on display today. He was so pleased with the taste that he even conferred the shop with the name of his close relative, King Hamed of Turkey. Thus, the name Hameedi Confectioners.

Hameedi doesn't have fancy interiors or flashy neon signs to welcome visitors from afar. But the frequent traffic jam right in front of the store and a whiff of their cooking is enough to make people turn around and grab a plate of Jouzi Halwa before the light turns green. Despite its Turkish roots, Jouzi Halwa has become known as a Hyderabadi sweet. Jouzi Halwa takes around eight hours to prepare with common local ingredients — milk, ghee, nutmeg, sugar, dried fruits, and saffron — and certain secret spices imported from Afghanistan. Soaked barley extract is also used in the making. After stirring the milk over medium to high heat for hours, then the ingredients are added. The Halwa, when prepared, is garnished with almonds and cashews and decorated with silver foil. Full of ghee, this delicious dessert is rich and heavy, with a small portion enough to fill you up. Hameedi sells around 100-125 kg of halwa daily through their two branches.

Besides Jouzi Halwa, Hameedi is also known for Saffron Ashrafi, Badam Ke Jaali, Motichur Ke Ladoo, Chandi Ke Ashrafi, Puran Puri, Pure Ghee Balushine, Khowa Puri, Buena Peda, and Halwa Sohan Tikki which represent authentic Hyderabadi fare.

Though several workers have deserted the shop owner to open their own shops and sell his Jouzi Halwa, no one was successful in replicating it. Today, Hameedi’s remains the point of attraction for locals, food lovers, and tourists, becoming a part of many daily lives. Jouzi Halwa is even exported to many parts of the world, not by pastry chefs themselves, but by those who come to Hyderabad and want to take a souvenir of the city with them.