Friday, June 3, 2016

The legendary sweet of Hyderabad – Jouzi Halwa.

Jouzi Halwa is an extraordinary sweet that came to Hyderabad over a century ago. It was popular then and it is popular today, with the demand going up. The sweet has a Turkish origin. Mohammed Hussain a lad of Turkish lineage ventured into the business about 105 years ago at the age of 15 years by opening a Sweet Shop without a name, along a crude pathway which too had no name. The shop still stands at this place and this area is today a big business centre and a prominent place in Hyderabad popularly known as Mozam Jahi Market. All his sweets were good but one of them, the Jouzi Halwa / Nutmeg Halwa became popular as an extraordinary delicacy. News of this shop and the sweets reached His Highness Sir Mir Osman Ali Khan, the VII Asaf Jahi Nizam, the ruler of Hyderabad State. It is said that he visited this sweet shop to taste Jouzi Halwa and was very much impressed. As the shop did not have a name; he passed an order of naming the shop after one of his sons' nickname, as Hameedi Confectioners. The official decree signed by Nizam himself is displayed at the Shop (a blow-up). You can see this decree and other testimonials received by this sweet shop in the attached photographs.

Infused with well-chosen ingredients, this Turkish Jouzi Halwa tastes different from many other Halwas I have tasted.  The main ingredients in Jouzi Halwa are Milk (full fat), Sugar, Ghee, Saffron, Nutmeg and dry fruits like Almonds, Cashews and Pistachios. The Nutmeg flavour in Jouzi Halwa is predominant, but not overpowering. It is a very heavy sweet laden with loads of pure ghee but it is moderately sweet with a sensational taste. Obviously with such ingredients it is very nutritious.

If you are from Hyderabad or a visitor to Hyderabad, this is one sweet you must certainly taste, you will love it.










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