Two items which come in the “do not miss” category if in Mecca are to enjoy some of the traditional Mecca Sweets and the Mecca Bread. While imitations may be made elsewhere in the Kingdom, the originals are in Mecca and each have a taste and flavor of their own.
To begin with, let me try my best to describe the Mecca Sweets or Mecca Helalwa as it is called. There are two kinds and to me, both resemble fudge in their color and consistency. One is light brown and may look similar to peanut butter fudge and even has a slight peanut butter taste due to one of the primary ingredients being tahina. The other sweet is dark brown in color and has a taste similar to brown sugar with some fine pistachio nuts mixed in. Now I prefer to eat them in small pieces as if I am eating fudge but most Saudis eat them between pieces of bread.
The Mecca Bread is also quite delicious. It resembles an oversize, supersized bagel and sprinkled on top with sesame seeds. It is a soft and flavorful brown bread. While one can eat this bread with the Mecca sweets, I guess my Americanism comes through as I like to spread cream cheese atop and eat it similar to a bagel. It is also good with swiss cheese and a little bit of 
honey dribbled atop. Or best yet, dip chunks of this delectable bread into my mother-in-law’s homemade apricot jam. The muttawa would likely arrest me for the look of ecstasy on my face as I enjoy it!
So if you are going to Mecca for umrah or Hajj, in addition to the zamzam (Mecca holy water) don’t forget to pick up Mecca Sweets and bread as well!
Filed under: culture, Food, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture
Hrm… looks and sounds good. I am glad you are doing more food post. Yay for me as I am a foodie interested in food from around the world. The bread looks like a cross between a pita and a foccacia. Do you know how it originated and why it is well known as a Meccan food item? I recognize that Hajj is performed in Mecca so perhaps a traveller from afar brought the recipe to that area? I would hate to hear that I am attributing it to that as opposed to a good Saudi baker.
The dessert looks like turkish delight? I love pistachios so this sounds right up my alley! Is it commonly eaten between bread because it’s creamy like cream cheese? I’m confused because to me fudge is a thick, creamy, and a little chewy making it difficult to eat with bread? At least to this Asian-american with little liking for sickeningly sweet sweets! :p
OnigiriFB,
More than 90% of the food in Mecca originated somewhere else. The city has huge diversity of food from all over the world. Almost every Islamic country is represented in the food you find in Mecca. If you love exotic food, Mecca is probably the best place to be.
The bread shown in the picture is called Tamees and it originates in central Asia from countries like Tajikstand and Uzbikistan. Many people from that region of the world settled in Hijaz escaping the soviet system in the early part of the 19th century.
The sweet Carol mentioned which made from sesame seed is called Halwah Tahinia (or Halwah Shami) originates in Syria and Turki (you guessed right there:))
The other sweet is called Hallwah Harisiah and I think that originates from India.
Carol is right, when you go to Mecca and hang with locals, you have many choices of original foods that you cannot find anywhere else. I gain 5 pounds every time I go home for a 2 week visit.
Oh, I’m so húngry!
This sounds so Yummy!!!
The bread is truly yummy…but Ive never been able to tolerate much of the sweet…just not my style.
btw you mention Zam Zam water…well here is my Zam Zam water story…
2 years ago I had my first opportunity to perform Umrah…everyone was going on about how I just HAD to drink Zam Zam water..it cures you of what ails you apparently. Anyhow…on the causeway I became quite sick…by the time I reached Mecca I was seriously ill. While everyone went off to perfrom the Umrah….I was sleeping on a couch in the hotel reception waiting for a room to be ready that I could crawl to and die in peace(no lie). Anyhow, over the course of the next 10 days(first in Mecca then later in Medina) I went to the the mosque for as many prayers as I felt strong enough to perfrom…and had cups of Zam Zam water pushed into my hand every time I turned around. I traveled with a group for Umrah…around 70 people…each of them seemed positive that if I drank just one more cup I would be cured…so they were all determined to get that one more cup in me. At some point I was starting to wonder if it was possible to drown on dry land….no lie….I drank sooooo much Zam Zam water I was making swishing noises when I walked.
10 days later…still fairly ill…I arrived home. Just when I was getting happy thoughts that I would not have to drink anymore Zam Zam water unless I once again went to Mecca…two large plastic water bottles arrived on my doorstep…courtesy of one of my fellow Umrah travellers….he was concerned I might not have enough Zam Zam to see me back on my feet….how sweet. All I can say to that is…my cat liked it…and my plants thrived on it. I on the other hand…did not partake of even a single drop…there is only so much a drowning person can swallow…u know.
Anyhow thats my story…just wanted to throw that in there…for no reason then that you brought up the memory.
Saudi in USA,
I think what you mentioned is actually what makes the Hijazi stand apart from the rest of the kingdom.
cool red — stay tuned. I have a future post coming up on how I was anointed recently with zamzam water!
Thank you for this post and as I hope to be in Makkah for the Umra this Ramadan its my wish to have a taste of those sweets and bread. But where can one buy them: at restaurants, shops, near Haram or where? Kindly give me a hint….
I’ll have to get the exact name from my husband but there is an old family owned shop near the Haram that has been making them for years and the best place in all of Makkah to partake these wonderful goodies!
Carol:
You’re probably thinking of “Abu Nar” who are *the* place to go for Meccan sweets (especially halawah shamia). Though they are a bit too rich for my taste, so I prefer “Halawani Abna’” or “Shihab Badrah”. Most Meccan sweets are of Indian origin. If you’re ever back in Mecca don’t forget to try laddo (orange balls made of spiced chickpea paste), mushabak (sweet pretzel like sweet), dujaj al bar (savory crunchy snack), and my favorite labaniyah (white milk based fudgy sweet).
Saudi Jawa,
I agree Abu Nar is the best place. we used to live across the street from his place in Gaza about 40 years ago when I was in early elementary school. You are also correct on the origin of the sweets is India. I can find most of the sweets here in the US in Indo-Pak stores, but they are not of the same quality.
Thanks for the advise on where all to go! Yes; I believe I have had all the sweets you mentioned except labaniyah which sounds delicious. I make an old treat called “Divinity” which is a rich white candy made with lots of egg whites that my husband cannot get enough of.
Ah, my grandfather used to make ”divinity” for us,
devine!
The halawa tahinia you have in the 2nd photograph is known as rahash here in Kuwait.
I have not tasted Makkah halawa but it is well known that Kuwait makes the best rahash in the whole Gulf area.
Rahash is more of a winter delight as it is quite rich and wonderful to eat with the traditional hot, Iranian flatbread sprinkled with simsim seeds (sesame) and a heartwarming (albeit heavy) accompaniment to hot tea and cardamom flavoured milk on a cold winter’s night.
Rahash has a very rich nutty taste and tahina is a basic ingredient. Normally Kuwaiti rahash is not sprinkled with pistachios like in the photo.
Nowadays there are many bite sized sweetmeats made from rahash served as an accompaniment to fragrant Arabic coffee.
If you are ever in Kuwait, try buying the famous sweets from Halwaji in Kuwait City. Otherwise there is a booth in the airport that sells traditional sweets in gift boxes.
You just made me drool on my keyboard Jewaira!
for info on food and restaurants in jeddah check out jeddahfood.com
Thanks, Rashed.