Kashata za nazi — coconut candy with sugar and cardamom
A firm confection made from grated coconut caramelized in sugar, perfumed with cardamom (and sometimes ginger). It is poured into a slab, cut into diamonds that keep well and slip into a pocket.
A firm confection made from grated coconut caramelized in sugar, perfumed with cardamom (and sometimes ginger). It is poured into a slab, cut into diamonds that keep well and slip into a pocket.
For a long dhow crossing, nothing beats a piece of kashata in your pocket: it does not spoil under the sun and sustains a man until the next port. You melt the sugar until it threads, throw in the grated coconut and a hint of cardamom, then spread the paste before it hardens. Children watch for it at the market, and I confess I watched for it too — a scholar is not without his sweet tooth.
- •Fresh grated coconut — a good measure (base)
- •Sugar — in proportion (caramelized binder)
- •Cardamom — a pinch (fragrance)
- •Ginger (optional) — a little (warm note)
Kashata za nazi — coconut candy with sugar and cardamom
A firm confection made from grated coconut caramelized in sugar, perfumed with cardamom (and sometimes ginger). It is poured into a slab, cut into diamonds that keep well and slip into a pocket.
Why this dish? Compact, sweet, and easy to carry, kashata was the ideal snack for long dhow crossings and field trips between islands — a pocket comfort for a man who spent his life traveling from archive to village, from Lamu to Dar es Salaam.
For a long dhow crossing, nothing beats a piece of kashata in your pocket: it does not spoil under the sun and sustains a man until the next port. You melt the sugar until it threads, throw in the grated coconut and a hint of cardamom, then spread the paste before it hardens. Children watch for it at the market, and I confess I watched for it too — a scholar is not without his sweet tooth.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh grated coconut — a good measure (base)
- Sugar — in proportion (caramelized binder)
- Cardamom — a pinch (fragrance)
- Ginger (optional) — a little (warm note)
Ingredients
- Grated coconut (fresh or unsweetened desiccated) — 250 g (base)
- Sugar — 200 g (caramelized binder)
- Ground cardamom — 1/2 tsp (fragrance)
- Ground ginger — 1/4 tsp (optional) (warm note)
- Water — 2 tbsp (to start the syrup)
Method
- Melt sugar with water in a pan over medium heat until an amber syrup forms.
- Watch carefully not to burn; lower heat as soon as the syrup turns golden.
- Add grated coconut, cardamom, and ginger; stir vigorously until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the pan.
- Immediately spread evenly on an oiled baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Cut into diamonds while still warm, then let cool and harden completely before breaking apart.
How it was made : Coconut was grated on the mbuzi (a stool fitted with a serrated blade); kashata was made in a cast-iron pan over a wood fire and kept for days in a cloth, making it the quintessential travel provision on the coast.
The contemporary twist : Rolled into small bites and half-dipped in extra toasted coconut, as an end-of-meal sweet to offer.
Sources : Documented confections of the Swahili coast (kashata za nazi, Zanzibar and Mombasa)
J.W.T. Allen · Charactorium
