Wanting to explore the role of sweet dishes in Bosnian iftars, we spoke before Ramadan with Emina Sagir and Timka Delić Halkić, whose skilled hands work wonders in their kitchens. One became famous for golden tulumbas, and the other for Medena (Honey) or Nanna's cake.
Here in Australia, far from the Homeland, with their culinary specialties – tulumbas, halva, pies, jams, hurmašice, and Nanna's cake – they bring a touch of Bosnia, contributing to the richness of multicultural Australia through the tradition of Bosnian cuisine.
I am someone who suffers from incurable nostalgia, and I heal it through cooking Bosnian specialties.
Emina is often helped by her husband, Ergin.
Emina i Ergin Sagir.jpg
Emina is a master in making all kinds of pies, jams, halva, flatbreads, and savory breads, but her specialty is tulumbas.
Emina Sagir, njena kulinarska specijalnost - tulumbe.jpg
Timka Delić Halkić also preserves the tradition of marking the holiness of the month of Ramadan, which, once again, in her home is filled with memories of beloved Bosnia, of the Ramadans of her childhood spent in her hometown of Cazin.
We return to Bosnia every time Ramadan comes. Something special and Bosnian awakens in us.
Timka's signature dish is Medena torta, or Nanna's cake, and the demand for this dessert is truly high. During our conversation at her home, several people knocked on the door asking for Nanna's cake.
The secret to the success of their sweets is the love they selflessly put into preparing the dishes, which during Ramadan shine with a stronger light.
