• Sous chef Johnson Cheeran pours a bag of ground cardamom into a storage container as Vijay Narayamal watches in the back room. The corridors are fragrant with sweetness and spice from the different ingredients used to make halwa.
    Sous chef Johnson Cheeran pours a bag of ground cardamom into a storage container as Vijay Narayamal watches in the back room. The corridors are fragrant with sweetness and spice from the different ingredients used to make halwa.
  • A staffing agency worker stirs a bubbling pot of halawa as another worker pours in black sugar to temper the mixtures in the kitchen. The black sugar imparts a bold, rich flavour and is used to make one of the more popular selling varieties of the sweet.
    A staffing agency worker stirs a bubbling pot of halawa as another worker pours in black sugar to temper the mixtures in the kitchen. The black sugar imparts a bold, rich flavour and is used to make one of the more popular selling varieties of the sweet.
  • The sweet-making process is labour intensive and takes approximately two and a half hours with constant stirring and supervision.
    The sweet-making process is labour intensive and takes approximately two and a half hours with constant stirring and supervision.
  • Large industrial fans are blown continuously at their highest settings to dissipate the intense heat produced.
    Large industrial fans are blown continuously at their highest settings to dissipate the intense heat produced.
  • A group of workers from a staffing agency wait to relieve their colleagues from cooking duty.
    A group of workers from a staffing agency wait to relieve their colleagues from cooking duty.
  • Sous chef Johnson Cheeran uses a bucket to scoop out the finished halwa into a container.
    Sous chef Johnson Cheeran uses a bucket to scoop out the finished halwa into a container.
  • A worker scribbles down an order.
    A worker scribbles down an order.
  • The order labels contain information detailing the time of the order, the order itself and when the product will be picked up by the customer.
    The order labels contain information detailing the time of the order, the order itself and when the product will be picked up by the customer.
  • Friends and family of the shop owner Said Kazruni, 23, Ibrahim Saleh, 18, and Mohammed Al Khusaibi, 17, prepare large orders.
    Friends and family of the shop owner Said Kazruni, 23, Ibrahim Saleh, 18, and Mohammed Al Khusaibi, 17, prepare large orders.
  • A worker finishes small pots of halwa with slivered almonds. The sweet comes in many different varieties containing an array of nuts and spices.
    A worker finishes small pots of halwa with slivered almonds. The sweet comes in many different varieties containing an array of nuts and spices.
  • Customers placing orders for halawa are helped by Ibrahim Saleh, 18, who simultaneously wraps a finished container with protective film.
    Customers placing orders for halawa are helped by Ibrahim Saleh, 18, who simultaneously wraps a finished container with protective film.

Hard work and long hours for the sweet smell of halwa at Eid, by Sarah Dea

Mark Asquith

October 24, 2012

  • English
  • Arabic

Vast quantities of halwa sweets are eagerly consumed over Eid Al Alda, but it takes a small army of workers to ensure there is enough for everyone over the celebrations.

Like shops across the Muslim world, the Zahran Al Harasi halwa shop in Al Ain hires extra staff and the kitchens are kept busy around the clock in the run up to the festivities.

Spices are mixed with water and boiled, then ghee and starch are added, in vast 50kg coopers, where it is kept simmering for two hours.

Such are the quantities involved, that workers take shifts to keep production at maximum.

Photographer Sarah Dea set out for Zahran Al Harasi in Al Ain at 5am to show how much work goes in to producing halwa for Eid al Adha.

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